Being Effective Clinicians
In a short period of time, we have covered differences in physiology, culture, and community. It is not that we have to know everything about the background of all of our patients -- that would be impossible. We come across patients from all different ethnic groups. People often ask, what is most important? Is it knowledge, an attitude of openness and respect, and an attitude of not making assumptions before you ask questions, or is it skills?
Are there specific ways of asking questions? For example, if a patient has a linguistic barrier, it may not be adequate to say, "Everything is great; we'll see you next time." Part of the skill is to say, "Could you please repeat the recommendations that I have communicated with you, so that we know that we are on the same wavelength or we have reached the same conclusion?" The extra step to make sure that adequate communication has taken place is very important.
In conclusion, for us to be effective clinicians, it's not enough for us to know the diagnosis of a disease or to know what treatment to prescribe. In the end, we have to help our patients to reach their healthcare outcomes and improve those outcomes. The only way that we can do that is to understand the culture and physiology of the individual patient, and put those in the context of community. Thank you.