Doctors Talk, But They Don't Often Communicate
13 comments
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I would love to get a much wider audience and speak directly to them. Sure! Communication: It saves lives!
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Boy is that true, JoJo! During my Lyme Disease battle I visited over twenty doctors. Only a few were good communicators. I’m still scratching my head about a few appointments. Perhaps you could make doctor calls and teach them communication skills. :D
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You are so right, Cynthia! That’s how it is with many of our relationships. One bad experience of hurried communication can taint an entire relationship sometimes. That’s how deeply important our communication is. I’m so sorry your mom went through all that. My FIL had lung cancer but was diagnosed as a cough for several years until they figured it out. They never bothered to ask some important questions of him and he didn’t know enough about lung cancer to tell him.
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Amazing. my mom had cervical cancer and evidently lung cancer which spread to her brain. Docs never told me what symptoms to look for. I could have had her back in time for them to do something about it. The GYN cancer specialist cured the cervical cancer. But we never were referred to a cancer specialist for the lung cancer just a surgeon. Who always seemed surprised for the year my mom went back for checkups but never said anything except more radiation therapy which is what I’m sure in hindsight spread it to her brain.
I think part of th e reason they don’t talk any more is because they all depend on testing now and no gut instinct. They have no feeling for anything anymore
Many other thing happen over the years. Dec 23 soninlaw was hit on his bike by a car the team was great until this last checkup a few weeks ago. they were only supposed to see the same doc someone forgot to note on the door new doc came in and just grabbed his wrist without saying and started turning this way and that and hurt him. never said hardly anything. the original doc stuck his head int eh door said hi and was going to leave and my daughter says wait we have questions. he stayed but clearly didn’t want to. Until that day they loved that doc and the staff. in 10 minutes they blew the whole thing.
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(((Janet)))
I understand your frustration. Poor communication can result in a ruined relationship, but in doctor/patient communication, it’s much more serious. I don’t think it’s that most doctors don’t have a heart for their patients, but that they have NO EARTHLY IDEA how to express that. Combined with a lack of communication skills to properly inform or diagnose a patient, this is a deadly combination.