Patient empowerment

Phyllis Hollenbeck, author of Sacred Trust: The Ten Rules of Life, Death and Medicine (Book Publishers Network), has long maintained that medical consumers need to be more discriminating about who they chose to handle their health. She points out, “Many patients feel they have no power in a doctor’s office, but in fact they hold all the power. They are employing the doctor, and have every right to, in effect, fire them if they’re not satisfied with the service being provided.”

Dr. Hollenbeck believes that patient empowerment can be the key in opening the lines of communication in the examination room, thereby leading to higher quality healthcare. She notes,

“Doctoring is about understanding the connection between medical science and the human spirit. As an old saying goes, ‘Most men would rather have you hear their story than grant their wish,’ and the ability to correctly diagnose a patient demands it. Their life is in our hands so it’s only fair that our job security is in theirs.”

When to Fire a Doctor [Via NewsBlaze]

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From Medical Economics magazine, more on patient relations ...

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