What are Patients Looking For?


About one year ago I received an article from someone whose source was Sacbee/Health and Medical News. The article was about expectations of physicians and I had made a few notes that were relevant to our professions. These comments differ from that of the article as I feel that our role is somewhat different in terms of the patients' expectations. Here is something to think about on a rainy day in May.

1. Patients want a clinician that knows both them and their families.

2. Patients also want a clinician that uses their ears for something other than to wear their glasses or shades. Ears may have earrings and balance a head but their most important function is to listen. We all know that 85% of diagnosis can be made from taking a good history which means that we are expected to listen. Have you listened to someone today?                                         

3. When patients are feeling ill they desire a clinician that is available. Availability means that we need to have a method that allows our patients to contact us day or night and on weekends. That is part of the fun of taking on the sacred responsibility of being a caregiver. Don't look at this as a curse but consider it a privilege.

4. Patients are looking for clinicians that are sensitive, compassionate, caring and concerned that the patient will get the appropriate care regardless of the urging of an insurance company.

5. Every patient wishes to be treated with dignity and respect. We are never to place ourselves in a superior position to impress them or to look down upon them. We all bring something to the table and we need to show our patients the respect that we wish to receive.

3. A good clinician can take the language of medicine and translate it into a dialogue that can be easily understood by the patient. Perhaps we can follow our directions with the question; Do you understand what I am saying concerning your illness and is there any area that you wish greater clarification?

Stained glass language may be good for the religious person but the words are meaningless or confusing to the person who has not been indoctrinated into a particular theology. Our medical language is meant for us to communicate to each other but we need to be able to clearly communicate to our patients on the level of their understanding. It is much easier to state that they have an enlarged heart than to say you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Bob Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA

Immediate Past President, American College of Clinicians
President, Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants
The two most powerful weapons are courage and persistence.  Nothing can stop a person armed with both.

Robert M. Blumm has received national recognition as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He is the past president of the Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants, and was past-president of the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, past president of the American College of Clinicians and NYSSPA, as well as Chairman of the Surgical Congress of the AAPA. In addition, Bob received the John Kirklin MD Award for Professional Excellence from the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants. Along with his associate, Dr. Acker, Bob was the first recipient of the AAPA PAragon Physician-PA Partnership Award. He has been a contributing author of three textbooks, written 150 plus articles and is a sought out conference speaker throughout the United States.