Good Patient Practitioner Relationship

A good doctor patient relationship is the most important part of the medical practice.

Importance

1. It can gain the patient confidence in the competence of the physician.
2. The patient trust the doctor and helps to build a good rapport with the doctor.
3. It also leads to importance in the quality of medical field.

Conditions Essential for a Good Doctor-Patient Relationship 

Rapport:

1. The establishment of a good rapport with the patient is the primary task in developing a good patient doctor relationship.
2. The rapport can be established through showing commitment, warmth, genuineness & empathy.

Trust:

1. It is difficult to establish a good doctor patient relationship without gaining patient’s trust.

Respect:

1. The patient needs to be regarded as an individual and they should be respected & accepted.

Informed Consent:

1. The doctor should inform the details of the treatment and its prognosis to the patient’s relatives/ to the patient.
2. Doctor should communicate the true facts & the patient’s consent need to be obtained before giving treatment.

Involve the patient in decision making:

1. The patient should also be given the opportunity to choose among the treatment options.
2. The doctor should not recommend what patient should do, rather than patient should be respected and he should be allowed to choose the medical treatment from the various treatment options.

Orientation phase:

1. During this phase, both doctor & patient meets for the first time.
2. The doctor & the patients get introduced during this phase.
3. The primary aim of this phase is to find out why the patient needs the doctor’s help.
4. During this phase, it is important to establish trust, rapport and understanding with the patient.
5. The assessment of the patient’s problem is done during this phase.

Working Phase:

1. The treatment is carried out during this phase.
2. The plan is translated into aim.
3. The doctor works with the patient to solve patient’s problems.

Termination Phase:

1. It is the last phase.
2. The termination of doctor & patient relationship occurs during this phase.
3. It may occur as the patient is recovered from the illness & he is discharged or the patient is transformed to another hospital doctor.