Patients and Doctors: Improving the Dialogue
For the past 12 years, SHARE has been holding meetings with patients and doctors to discuss communication issues. Much progress has been made and what was once a monologue has become a dialogue, where doctors, residents and medical students come together with SHARE survivors to discuss ways of improving our medical interviews through better methods of communication.
On the evening of December 13, 2010, SHARE held an educational meeting dealing with communication issues between doctors and patients.
Three doctors attended:
Dr. Mack Lipkin, Director of Primary Care at NYU School of Medicine
Dr. Richard Shapiro, Director of Surgical Oncology Operations at NYU Clinical Cancer Center
Dr. Ruth Oratz, Medical Onclologies, Women's Oncology and Wellness Practice
Three SHARE survivors also participated, including:
Jennie Santiago: Breast cancer survivor, SHARE Latina Program Associate, and SHARE Survivor Patient Navigator at St. Luke's Hospital
Annie Ellis: Recurrent ovarian cancer survivor, SHARE Hotline volunteer,Facilitator of peer-led ovarian cancer support group (Annie also provided the survivor perspective on clinical trials at the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund's Scientific Research Symposium in November 2010)
In general, the doctors acknowledged the need for trust, listening, empathy, the ability to apologize when necessary, planning and encouraging second opinions. They emphasized the need for training in certain areas.
The survivors acknowledged the necessity of informing doctors of past medical history and medications, the need to ask questions (which might be written down beforehand), and the advantage of asking someone to accompany them to appointments and help them consider options.
The meeting was very well-received and the speakers were very knowledgeable and empathic.
Please submit any questions you have regarding communication below and we will address them.
Thank you!
Posted January 12, 2011.
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