Last Updated on July 14, 2022 by Shabnam Sengupta
Dr Abhishek Singh, MBBS, DNB, specialises in general surgery. He worked at Paras HMRI Hospital, Patna.
What is the best thing you enjoy about treating patients?
Being a doctor, and a surgeon to be specific, treating patients is an end in itself. The immense amount of satisfaction, gratitude and a sense of meaning to life that I have personally felt every single day of my work is something I enjoy the most. It’s more than enjoyment. It’s a way of life.
When is a patient easy to treat?
A patient is never easy or hard to treat. A patient is already suffering from some ailment when they come to a doctor. We need the most at this point is an empathetic approach. There’s nothing as an ideal behaviour of the patient in my opinion, however, I prefer my patients to trust my advices and reciprocate my intention to treat them with compliance to my treatment.
When is a patient difficult to treat?
Whenever we encounter a break in the chain of empathy, good communication, proper counselling and compliance to treatment protocols in any manner whatsoever, the process of treating becomes difficult.
How helpful is it to the treatment course, if the patient is knowledgeable about the treatment procedure, benefits, risks etc.?
It is very helpful. The biggest role such patient education plays regarding the disease and the basics of the planned treatment is that it makes the patient reasonably more compliant to the treatment offered. It also makes them understand that there would be times when we may not get the expected results or witness some side effects and that is absolutely okay. This contributes to building mutual trust which is of paramount importance.
How can a patient improve their knowledge about the treatment procedure?
Patients can improve their knowledge by consulting another doctor in the family or friend circle to take a second opinion. I would suggest to avoid online sources.
How medical misinformation act as a problem in the overall treatment procedure?
It is a very big problem. There are two big hurdles in the process of treatment. First is lack of information, and the second, which is much bigger and more dangerous is misinformation. Lack of information keeps the patient at point zero from where the patient can be promptly made to walk towards recovery if provided the right treatment. But misinformation drags the patient towards negative, and it becomes extremely difficult to pull the patient back to normal considering our medical infrastructure and facilities.
A few advice that you always give to your patients.
Staying healthy is more of a lifestyle choice. My advice to my patients is simple and straightforward – to eat healthy, to include more natural foods in the diet, to avoid unhealthy habits, drink water and exercise.
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