Monday, 17 July 2023

最不喜欢碰上的病人 The types of patients I feared

我是有超过25年经验的小儿科医生。成功领取专科资格后的前一段时间在政府(公共)医院就职,后来转移到私人界发展。这段时间,碰上了形形色色的病人及其看护者。

虽说医者父母心,我应该用爱心,耐心去对待每一个患者。但还是有几类患者及其家长,是我不喜欢碰上的:

1. 无法接受确诊病症者、。

    有些病症,已病入膏肓,但家长们还是不能接受此事实,在病房里大闹一场。

    有些病症,根本原因是心理病,但患者及家长还是无法相信,到处寻求第二个意见。

     诚然,患者及家长,在非常时期难免焦虑,导致思绪混乱,无法用正规方式处理事情的演变;适当的发发牢骚或质疑医生的诊断,是无可厚非的。不过若已呈现确凿的证据,证明诊断没错,还怀疑医生的诊断,就有点过分了。

2. 质问为什么在病发初期没有做正确诊断的患者及其家人。

    一般的普通病症,如伤风感冒,急性肠胃炎的腹泻,哮喘等病症,多数医生都能“轻而易举” 的确诊并配药。

    但有些奇难杂症,初期症状与其它普通病症大同小异,唯有过了一段时期,特殊的症状才缓缓上场。或许常人无法知晓,在医学上,有些病症要在好几年后才呈现出“经典”的症状。

    患者要给主治医生一些时间。

3. 完全相信“谷歌医生”者。

   网际网络的普及化,及其内容的多样化,是一个不错的知识库!

    用得恰当,对病情的认识,有一定的帮助。

   不过“完全信书就不如不读书”,同样的原理,网络上的信息,有时会过于极端,运用不好,可能会弄巧反挫,虚惊一场是小事,错过了确诊才可惜!


当然,我不是神医。也有误诊的时刻。经验是从失败中吸取的。误诊了,就要虚心学习!

Over the years, thruogh my practice as a paediatrician, I have encountered many kinds of patients and parents.

I empathise with parental anxiety, when their loved ones are sick.

But, there are just a few types of patients that bother me sometimes-

1. those who cannot accept the diagnosis given - particularly when it comes to terminal illnesses or psychological issues (i.e. the medical condition is not caused by organic cause)

2. those who question why a complex case is not diagnosed at initial presentation - and/or it took so long for a diagnosis to be confirmed/made

3. those who have fervent believes with DR Google, and fail to analyse their medical symptoms appropriately. Yes, I googled for latest information on certain rare medical illnesses, or latest advances for various medical illnesses. But not all information put up in Google is true... some may be put up by unscrupulous individuals trying to entice desperate patients for unsound/unproven treatment.

Gone are the old days where a practising doctor can adopt a paternalistic approach. Now, a lot of emphasis is placed on "informed decision" and "shared care". To be successful in the latter model, interpersonal rapport/ communication is vital.






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