Thursday, January 15, 2015

Doctor, please listen to me !

The careful history Dr. Martin took revealed that Betsy was taking an over-the-counter weight loss product that contained ephedrine. (I have changed their names for privacy’s sake.) When she stopped taking the remedy, her symptoms also stopped. Asked why she hadn’t mentioned this information before, she said she’d “never been asked.” Until then, her providers would sooner order tests than take the time to talk with her about the problem.

Communication failure (rather than a provider’s lack of technical skill) was at the root of over 70 percent of serious adverse health outcomes in hospitals.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/05/opinion/doctor-shut-up-and-listen.html?action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&module=MostEmailed&version=Full®ion=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article&_r=1

The problem is much worse in India, because:

- doctors are overworked and rushed
- patients are in awe of doctors and don't have the courage to speak up; and
- there are so many different regional languages !

We need to develop technology which will improve the ability of the doctor to communicate information to the patient, without eating into the limited face to face time he has to spend with the patient.

For example, intelligent algorithms which can take an automated history while the patient is at home, can help considerably in overcoming the doctor-patient communication gap.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous8:46 AM

    Dear Dr. Malpani,
    I had my last period on 17th of March and had egg collection on 1st of April. So transferred the embryo on 6th of April . I checked by hcg level and I found I am pregnant on Arpil 16th. After that I got progesterone passerines nearly two weeks. I checked ultra sound scan after 7th week on 6th of May and found empty sac ,no baby or heart beat seen. No any yolk sac. I am 40 years old. So doctors is telling to check after one week .Ultra sound scan technician show some white thing inside , but it was not clear. Sac size was 2.5 cm. I checked my beta hcg on yesterday and it is 150800 IU/L . Dear doctor , what can be the reason ? Can I see the baby after one week. ? I have morning sickness and vomiting too sometimes whole day. Please assist me to keep my mind free.
    I did IVF from Australia

    Thanks and best regards,

    Reena B

    ReplyDelete