Trust deficit is eroding doctor-patient relationship, here’s how it can be tackled

Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker is a laproscopic surgeon practicing at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Tardeo. Image courtesy: Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker

Doctors are a resilient breed. Each new day presents a unique clinical battle that has to be dealt with tactfully. The latest being, the problem of trust deficit among patients where they tend to second doubt the advice provided by doctors. Just a decade or two before, the reality was reasonably different. Doctors were placed on a pedestal and their word was considered unquestionable. Patients would abide and follow the instructions trustfully.

With the rise of unrestrained information, the doctor-patient relationship has eroded. Doctors are facing a double battle of building patients' trust and also ensuring that nothing goes wrong during medicinal procedures. To understand more about the rising suspicions against doctors and their role in serving as a savior, Midday Online spoke to Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker, consultant bariatric and laparoscopic surgeon, Saifee, Namaha and Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Tardeo.

Here are the edited excerpts from the interview:

Have you encountered patients with preconceived notions? How do you deal with them?

Yes, many times we encounter patients with preconceived notions about disease and treatment options. This can be due to various reasons like misinformation present on the web, inherent fear of disease and its treatment or influence of friends and family. It can also be due to societal pressures and biases especially when it comes to a disease like obesity.

As a healthcare professional, first and foremost it is important to practice tolerance and be patient when it comes to patients with pre-conceived notions. It is our duty to educate and guide the patients to the best of our knowledge and experience. However, if they do not accept the advice given by us, it is important for us to not take it personally. We must continue to have faith in our abilities and good intent for our patients.

Do patients reflect a trust deficit because they derive knowledge from web and WhatsApp?

Today, we are living in a world of information overload. Information is available at the click of a button. Many patients do a lot of research on the internet before they see a doctor and that is a good thing. However, what needs to be understood is that a lot of information on the web may be incorrect or from unreliable sources.

The information can also be highly biased. It can be difficult for lay people to join the dots and can scare them or push them into a negative mindset. A medical specialist spends at least 8 to 10 years gaining expertise in a particular field. It is unrealistic and foolhardy to think that one can understand the complexities of the human body by spending a few hours on the internet.

WhatsApp is a great application for communication but it has been proven repeatedly that it is the most unreliable source for any kind of information and can lead to more harm than benefit especially when it comes to health-related issues. It is difficult to not get influenced by the constant bombardment of unreliable information on these platforms however, health is our most precious asset.

In your opinion, why do patients question doctors' authority?

Trust is the most important ingredient in the doctor-patient relationship. Patients and doctors are equally important stakeholders. Having a healthy discussion about a patient's health must be encouraged by doctors. Patients must be encouraged to ask questions and their concerns must be addressed.

However, medical science is not an absolute science and no doctor can ever guarantee a hundred percent success. There are times when disease tends to defeat both, patients and doctors and a patient may not respond satisfactorily to treatment. In such scenarios, it is common to observe an erosion of trust and questioning of the treating doctor's authority. The incomplete understanding of the disease, half-baked knowledge from unreliable sources like the internet, and hearsay from friends and families can only make it worse.

What can doctors do to build a healthy relationship with their patients?

The doctor-patient relationship is sacred. "Trust" is the foundation of this relationship and "communication" is the key to its success. We cannot blame patients for the information overload or hold it against them to research on their disease. This is the reality of the world we live in. Hence, we have to practice with more "patience and tolerance".

We have to give them time and try to address their concerns and queries. Even today most patients trust their doctors and rely on them for genuine advice and help. This is probably one of the few professions where relationships are built for life.

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