“I need you to listen for 90 seconds without interrupting.” After a woman said that to her doctor, their conversation led to a correct diagnosis and effective therapy. Until then, doctors had kept making the same wrong diagnosis and recommending the same therapies that had failed.
CNN journalist Amanda Schupak spoke with me for a story highlighting the problem of doctors’ minimizing or dismissing women’s symptoms. Her focus on gender disparity and adverse consequences introduced an important topic: effective communication.
What can patients do if they feel dismissed?
“Dr. Wendy Harpham, whose new book, Clinical Communication: Finding the Best Words to Inform, Comfort and Motivate Patients, offers advice for how clinicians and patients can work together, said… ‘It has to be a team effort for the doctor to get the information they need and for the patient to be heard.’”
Patients can help their clinicians do their best job during a visit. “Come to each appointment prepared with a list of questions and concerns to discuss. Write it on a piece of paper or your phone, with the highest priority items at the top. Think through how you’ve been feeling so you can summarize your situation succinctly and efficiently in the limited time you have.”
doctor visits are not social visits
As a physician, I skillfully presented concise medical histories by heart. Yet as a patient, I have prepared written notes for every medical visit—and don’t depend on my memory. In the comfort of home I take time to:
Think through what happened and when
Obtain vital details, e.g., checking with the pharmacy when I took a certain medication or with a family member when they first noticed my symptom
Consider which details to keep and which aren’t needed
As I told Schupak, “If you’re at an impasse with your doctor, it’s OK to cut ties and find someone you’re more comfortable with.” But first, before beginning the rigmarole of finding another physician, consider whether you can improve the communication. Check out next week’s post on tips for helping your doctor hear you.
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