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Do you know how to identify an ideal doctor
to ensure the best healthcare? Television¡¦s fictional characters
Dr. Marcus Welby and Doogie Howser may have set the bar in the
type of support patient¡¦s expect from their physicians. But
with the cost of medical care going up and more Americans being
financially responsible for visits to their physician¡¦s office,
finding the right doctor is a growing concern. Despite, President
Bush¡¦s focus to reduce malpractice suits, what actions can
you take to ensure quality assurance?
It
all starts in your doctor selection. In an effort to identify
the ¡§perfect physician¡¨ Mayo Clinic conducted a study to find
seven effective behaviors of the ideal physician. Overall the
findings recommended that medical care requires a patient-centered
approach. From 2001 and 2002, Mayo Clinic¡¦s study involved
telephone interviews with more than 190 patients. The participants
were interviewed from visits of 14 medical specialties of Mayo
Clinic including medical facilities in Rochester, Minnesota
and Scottsdale, Arizona.
The study
was devised to determine a comprehensive set of ideal doctor
behaviors. The interviews were compiled from both satisfied
and discontent patients. Seven distinctive characteristics were
highlighted in the study with Mayo Clinic physicians:
• Confident
• Empathetic
• Humane
• Personal
• Forthright
• Respectful
• Thorough
The findings
of the study depicted patients who experienced the worst doctor
experience focused on traits that were quite different from
the physician behaviors. Particularly, insensitivity and disrespectful
behavior were perceived more prevalently as negative characteristics.
Emotional reactions, behavioral and medical outcomes (recovery
and compliance) were found to be impacted by the quality of
a patient's relationship with their doctor.
The conclusion
of the study suggests that training both new and practicing
physicians how to engage interpersonal skills could serve as
effective care for patients. |
