Doctor-Patient Communication Case Study

Healer, Specialist, Physician, Medicine Man, Quack, across cultures there have been many names for the people we consider “qualified practitioners of medicine.” (Merriam-Webster, 2015) Throughout our worlds history we have sought out their counsel on various medical issues that may be as small as a cold to as severe as cancer. It is the zeitgeist that doctors be revered as important to a society as they hold such a large responsibility. Since venerate doctors as significant, is it not important to look at how our relationships with these individuals affect our health? Why is it said that “Doctors make for the worst patients?” or why is it that doctors are not likely to treat family members or people close to them? What is it about this relationship that is so important? We won’t entertain these actual questions, but they were intended to open the mind to the idea that there is an importance to this relationship. The most important aspect being communication.

Communication is defined as “a

Well Dr. Purvis offers up some great suggestions in maximizing doctor-patient communication when it comes to children. Being that there is usually some form of consent to treat children, the first and most important variable is the parent. Considering the parent is important in that, the parent is the one caring for and communicating needs on behalf of the child. (Nova, Vegni, & Moja, 2005) In this case, depending on the child’s cognitive stage and abilities, it is probably best to engage in as much communication with the child as possible. On the note of cognition, this is an important aspect to consider. Does the child have any cognitive or behavioral problems that will not allow for the transmission of information? Children’s understanding of pain, the body and illness differ from adult tremendously and these are many of the variables to consider during treatment. Tools that Dr. Purvis found useful