"The message I want to convey in this painting is most of all the relation of trust, a bond that can and must be built between the physician and the patient. The scene resembles a powerful womb where you can 'pass out' as a result of the anesthesia one takes. Yet, knowing that one is in trustworthy hands makes all the difference. This is so on the scientific, the psychological and the moral levels. After all, physicians are human beings with whom we share the same fate and the same human condition." Exclusively for our blog by Mimoza - the painter of Between Blue and Green.
Many patients are complaining about the physician-patient relationship. Doctors, they say, are skilled people who know the science of medicine quite well. Yet, when we are in their presence, we are reduced to an illness, a disease. What is lacking is a physician-patient relationship that makes the patient feels that he/she is a person cared for, not an illness to be treated.
Why has this happened and what can be done to remedy the vision of the old medical practitioner as 'healer'?
Why has this happened and what can be done to remedy the vision of the old medical practitioner as 'healer'?
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It is strange how we look up to physicians in our society and consider them superhuman. The doctor (al hakeem - also the word for "wise man") has come to hold a position of great prestige in our community. It is our fault if they reduce us to an illness or a desease. We allow them to do so. If and when we start judging physicians and choosing them to treat us based on their humane nature and the physician-patient relationship, if we start giving importance to this aspect rather than focus only on their scientific skills, then they will probably focus on it themselves. Maybe viewing the medical profession as any other profession and treating physicians as professionals skilled in healthcare (whereas teachers are skilled in education, writers in creative writing, artists in art, musicians in music, engineers in building houses...)not as super human creatures will help instill some humility in the doctors who assume a "holier than thou" attitude. Maybe they will also view their patients as human beings who are professionals themselves and also very useful to society as productive human beings and not only as petri dishes to incubate illnesses for them to practice curing.
ReplyDeleteWe usually take it for granted that the doctor is the “hakim” who will help us and treat us.
ReplyDeleteBut this is not always the story. I would like to take this opportunity to post a real story, in the hope that others will do the same. I really hope we become like people in western countries and dare to speak up so that, like you say in introduction of your blog, we can make a difference.
A woman in her late 70s needed an eye surgery for cataract. The doctor did the surgery. Yet, he did not bother to do a blood workup on her sugar level. Did not bother to tell her about the risks of the surgery. Post op. she complained of blurred vision, he told her it will go away. Now she cannot see at all in her eye. Total blindness.
Irreversible damage. She is at home, very sad and damaged psychologically. She was supposed to go for another surgery in the other eye. She will not do that. She lost faith in doctors. The other eye is tired. She is bitter at doctors from a previous encounter. Now, she is even more bitter. I did not mention the name of the doctor out of respect and because I want you to publish my post. I hope those who read this will share their stories. I know there are many. Let us change things.?
الطب مهنة نبيلة لأن الحياة مقدسة. اطباء اليوم نسوا هذا.
ReplyDeleteاطباء اليوم نسوا انهم تحت القسم و اصبحوا يفكرون في المال و الثراء فقط
و لكن الطبيب يصبح مريضا ايضا و في ذلك الحين قد يتذكر و ربما, أقول ربما, يندم.
In other countries the doctor respects the patient because the patient imposes his respect on the doctor. we still have a habit of treating the doctor like half a god. At least some of us. This is our mistake. We change, they change.
ReplyDeleteMost of the people in this part of the world feel that they are obliged to listen to what the doctor says, and have to follow the instructions without knowing that they have the right to discuss their case in a humane way and that they deserve to be treated as a human being and not as an experimental subject, by knowing all the pros and cons of whatever action the doctor intends to take. They forget that they are entitled to know the risk ,if any, of the treatment so that the consent they give or sign is based on proper information. Most people consider having a second opinion is improper.
ReplyDeleteWhen a doctor knows that his/her patient is well informed and knows his/her rights,the doctor will change the attitude and begins to practice what he/she has been taught(doctor-patient relationship, medical ethics,privacy, etc.)
Patients should be aware of what they are entitled to when they are in the doctor's office.