Doc-patient relationship needs to be revived: Experts

Bengaluru: The relationship between doctors and patients is dying and needs to be rebuilt immediately, a panel of medical professionals said on Friday. The observation comes in the wake of incidents of violence against doctors this year — first in Davanagere and Mandya and recently in Malur.
At a panel discussion organized on the second day of BBMP’s health festival, eminent city doctors from the public and private sector said they want patients not only to respect them but also repose trust in them.
Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, said: “Nowadays, patients are willing to kill doctors, set them on fire and vandalize hospitals. This should not happen in a civilized modern society. The relationship between doctor and patient should be re-established. What patients don't understand is that successful treatment depends on doctors spending quality time and not quantity time with them. Patients and their kin take offense if a doctor fails to give them undivided attention...Patients should trust the doctor and realize his limitations”.
Explaining the limitations of doctors in India, Dr Vivek Jawali, chief cardiologist and vascular surgeon at Fortis Hospital, said: “Today, a patient goes to a doctor only when he trusts the professional. This trust makes patients more positive and helps them during treatment. However, what they don’t realize is the immense pressure the medical fraternity in our country has to bear. In the US, Germany and other western countries, noone will find a doctor going beyond his individual capacity and treating more than 100 patients a day. However, we have to do so as there are so many waiting in the queue.”
Echoing their views, Dr TK Ramesh, medical superintendent at Minto Hospital, said, “The biggest challenge for the medical fraternity is to pay equal attention to each patient. Doctors give more time to patients with serious afflictions than those who are considerably better. This creates a misunderstanding among patients. This attitude needs to change”.
Patients don’t realize that doctors can do nothing about the inadequate infrastucture at the facility, Ramesh added. “During a procedure, if there is a sudden shortage of drips, doctors are not at fault. We feel terrible at not having enough equipment but are helpless,” he said.
Emphasizing patients’ need to be handheld, Dr Vivek said: “We are planning to add the post of hospitalist who will ensure a patient is comfortable right from his /her entry into hospital. A training programme for the purpose will help”.
Dr Ballal added: “Apart from efficiency and competence, a doctor needs to have good communication skills. Keeping that in mind, we have introduced a special course on soft skills for medicos, which is not a part of regular medical science curriculum”.