How Doctors Think

There have been a number of posts recently concerning doctors not listening or continuing to repeat the same diagnosis even though other possibilities exist.

I suggest reading "How Doctors Think" by Jerome Groopman, MD.

He is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and is no lightweight in the field.

The book describes how doctors get themselves into the situation of making serious errors in diagnosis. For instance studies have shown that a high proportion of doctors make a diagnosis based on the first few minutes of a patient interview and once it is in your records other doctors follow it.

He isn't out to get doctors and has some very helpful suggestions.

frank

2 Comments

Been meaning to read it...

by uvagershwin - 2009-01-07 06:01:07

I saw it in Food Lion, or maybe it was Martin's... anyway, i read the back and it looks pretty good. :)

P.S. I have a suggestion in return. Walk on Water by Michael Ruhlman. It's beast!!!

How Doctors think

by maryanne - 2009-01-07 11:01:18

That is a great suggestion for reading......I have worked with doctors for 20 years....and they are all different....some are simply more compassionate than others and think differntly.....for example when I worked in Palliative care...the doctors focus was not on a cure but rather comfort.....they tended to spend more at the bedside, and office time with these patients.....working in Critical Care....they are very analytical.....and specialized....A GI surgeon is going to be focused on the GI, a cardiologist on the heart, and an Internist is the one who looks at the patient as a whole....and even they can have the bedside manner of a sharp abrasive scrape on a chalk board or gentle and approachable.

When a doctor sees over 100 patients a day truly how much time can they spend with you.....so I have used the approach of making my list and try to be brief...but letting the doctor know what I want and need.

When I was in the hospital in December the doctor there would see 27 open heart patients a day. She review every patient's chart completely and spoke with every patient and addressed their concerns....never once did I see her brush off a concern a patient might have.

So at the end of the day....there are lots of variables as to why doctors are the way they are.....they are human as well.....

You know you're wired when...

You have rhythm.

Member Quotes

In life we have to consider what is more important, the loss of the vanity or the gain of the life.