Treatment vs Healing

 Treatment vs Healing

How do you divulge and discuss the Disease?

A dilemma all Doctors have when they have to share a fearsome life threatening or debilitating diagnosis ,prognosis , complication ,morbidity and worst mortality to person in front.

Today, person seeking our consultation already has gathered some and most times inadequate and misguided information through Artificial intelligence. 

Dilemma now in current medical practice is....

How to divulge 

How much to divulge?????

A detailed expression of all information about the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, complications, morbidity and mortality percentage,survival rate related to underlying diagnosis or

A diplomatic expression of sharing some and leaving back some to later stage.

My experience on this .....

Pre Artificial intelligence era ( Feel so vintage using this line)....I would first make my patient assure.... " Not to worry"...Yes .My these 3 words would relax my already anxious patient and accompanying relative.

I would first talk of good things ,the ones which are normal and not affected.

Last I would inform the bad report.

This way,the patient would first try to look at the positive side of the underlying situation and slowly learn to accept the real underlying condition which is not good.

Post Artificial Intelligence era....Google, ChatGPT,Gemini AI have already revealed the probability of a bad prognosis which has lesser survival rate,high percentage of morbidity and very very grave outcome. 

To deal with a already very anxious patient is very difficult. 

To make a mind already filled with lot of negativity, try to first view the good side of the reports to just impossible. 

As a medical practitioner,I have been taught to first empathize and be mindful.

The emotions of my patient must be protected. 

So,how do I assure my patient today..." Everything will be alright".

Digitalisation has made lots of information easily available and accessible. 

Patient seeks multiple opinions for every aspect of disease- Sign and Symptoms both.All investigations are scrutinized. 

Every Doctor is reviewed prior to consultation. Every word uttered by the practitioner is analyzed,questioned ,cross examined.

The entire process of diagnosis to treatment of a disease is minutely dissected,cross questioned and put under scrutiny......

A process similar to a trial in court.....similar to Court Martial in Defence.

If any morbidity or complications or mortality results in the end.....

The assuring words are interpreted by Legal system as " Misguiding Patient "....

An Empathetic approach of not disclosing some facts is misinterpreted as " Withholding Information ".

Today in the Post Artificial intelligence Era,Medical field is prioritizing unfortunately, only treatment of A Disease.

The Healing Touch of a Doctor....yes,Pre Artificial Intelligence Era,...we Doctors were taught in medical college,....this aspect of the process of curing an illness.

.Healing is getting lost completely. 

William Osler had said...

A good physician treats the disease..

But....

A Great Physician heals the patient. 

Today.....alas....we Doctors no longer are being allowed to heal our patient. 

- Dr Tripti Milind Galgali. 

Hubli.