#PWChat Recap: Why Doctors Are Losing the Public’s Trust, Part II

Physician’s Weekly co-hosted another installment of the #PWChat series on Wednesday, Dec. 13, with Linda Girgis, MD, based on her blog post on why doctors are losing the public’s trust. Long-time #PWChat participant Lisa Davis Budzinski offered the patient perspective to the chat. Representatives from Central Pain Nerve Center also joined to give their expert opinions.

This was the second part of our #PWChat on this topic.

You can read Part I here.

The chat covered how Dr. Girgis & Lisa would respond to the following comments on Dr. Girgis’s original blog post:

“The main reason the public has lost trust in doctors is how they ignore serious symptoms and tell people it’s in their head and nothing is wrong with them”
“Pill pushers are what most of you are and I sincerely hope that your days are numbered!”
“Very often patients are more informed than the doctors they go to see.
and more…

You can view our upcoming schedule, or read our other #PWChat recaps here.

Below are the highlights from the chat. You can read the full transcript here.

Question 1

Q1: How do you respond to people who say “The main reason the public has lost trust in doctors is how they ignore serious symptoms and tell people it’s in their head and nothing is wrong with them”?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

A1. People are dealing with much stress these days which can manifest as physical symptoms and diseases. We need to consider that in the diagnosis. #PWchat https://t.co/2mntW5FvTP

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

This is a huge problem we need to acknowledge. We need to make it okay to say we don’t know. We don’t always know what causes illness, but we can sometimes provide moral support and manage symptoms. I get frustrated docs think it’s okay to dismiss as long as it’s “presented” well

— GinaMcGalliard (@GinaMcGalliard) December 13, 2017

A1 We think it’s impossible for Drs to know every condition & disease that is known and those not known. #PWChat https://t.co/dEEoSS0ieJ

— Lisa Davis Budzinski (@lisadbudzinski) December 13, 2017

Question 2

Q2: How do you respond to the comment “Pill pushers are what most [doctors] are and I sincerely hope that your days are numbered!”?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

A2. Patients respond differently to medications and it is often needs a trial and error test to find the right medication. #PWchat https://t.co/8iiQpuk9Di

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

This is so true! It took 7 years of trial and error to find the right combination to help me manage my conditions and have a better quality of life #PWChat

— Lisa Davis Budzinski (@lisadbudzinski) December 13, 2017

To me as a QI person, that begs the question of whether there were wasted opportunities to reduce the 7 years to some kind of optimal time #PWChat

— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) December 13, 2017

Question 3

Q3: How do you respond to the comment “Very often patients are more informed than the doctors they go to see”?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

A3. Patients are more educated than ever and that is a good thing. But, they cannot learn the equivalent of 11+ years of education from the internet. #PWchat https://t.co/uzrgYvmXSf

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

Gonna have to disagree with you here, Linda. Example: @rawarrior. Her newly released book coulda woulda shoulda been published by a Doc:https://t.co/869FvKeiTm

— Robert West PhD (@westr) December 13, 2017

I find doctors become angry when you do research, regardless of how solid it is. The doctor/patient relationship has traditionally been a very authoritarian one, and with the info age it’s transitioning into a collaborative one. But some docs don’t like this so they lash out

— GinaMcGalliard (@GinaMcGalliard) December 13, 2017

Question 4

Q4: How do you respond to the comment “I can’t find a regular medical doctor. They are so busy trying to push you threw their office but they are sure quick to collect the money.”?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

A4. Unfortunately, there are a lot of outside forces influencing how doctors practice medicine. There are many doctors not like that so keep looking until you find them. #PWchat https://t.co/iU5LxFLPNk

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

Eye contact with #patients is huge. Many doctors come and and sit down at their computer and make you talk to their back. It’s also a convenient way to ignore questions you don’t like cuz you can pretend you didn’t hear. Look at your patients in the face and they will feel human

— GinaMcGalliard (@GinaMcGalliard) December 13, 2017

T4 From a #patientperspective it can be frustrating & difficult to get an appt in a timely manner and enough time to cover all the issues without a 2nd appt & copay. I bet offering just 5 more minutes per visit would show a BIG INCREASE in patient satisfaction #PWChat

— CP Nerve Center (@Cpnervecenter) December 13, 2017

I always ask patients if there is anything else they want to discuss at the end of a visit. Write a list of questions b4 you come and don’t leave until u have the answers. #pwCHAT https://t.co/D3lKg0HqMj

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

Question 5

Q5: How do you respond to the comment “Don’t trust [doctors] and we should not be forced by our government to do business with them through healthcare tax laws.”?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

A5. No one is forced to do business with us. No one is forced to come to a doctor. #PWchat https://t.co/o8ZThGIoxR

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

Q5 sigh and walk away. Three is seemingly no way to convince a person who would prefer high rates of waste, error, cost to gov involvement that government has a large role in national health regulation and access #PWChat

— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) December 13, 2017

T5 Most doctors aren’t satisfied with the healthcare system either. And they’d love to make their own decisions without government input! #PWChat

— CP Nerve Center (@Cpnervecenter) December 13, 2017

A5 Everyone will become a patient some day & having a great dr relationship building those base lines for unexpected future events will be priceless #PWChat https://t.co/uM12BvrSZL

— Lisa Davis Budzinski (@lisadbudzinski) December 13, 2017

Question 6

Q6: What’s the biggest thing physicians can do/say to patients to gain and maintain their trust?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

Q6 I believe you, I wouldn’t want to live with your miserable disease either & I want to help you. If you were my child/wife/aunt, I’d use this treatment/med etc……#PWChat

— CP Nerve Center (@Cpnervecenter) December 13, 2017

Q6 a. Vigorously combat laws and policies that make things worse. b. Ask what the patient’s heath priorities are, don’t assume same as clinical metrics #PWChat

— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) December 13, 2017

A6. Listen to them and take their concerns seriously. #PWchat https://t.co/3sY8WgEqec

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

Question 7

Q7: What else can physicians do, both on an individual basis and on a community- or even nation-wide basis, to help re-establish trust in the public?#PWChat

— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) December 13, 2017

A7. On an individual basis, physicians need to work with their patients one by one to build the trust. #PWchat https://t.co/DmAvqZAU8v

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

A7. On a larger basis, doctors need to active role in their community and medical organizations to make healthcare more patient-focused again. #PWchat https://t.co/DmAvqZAU8v

— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) December 13, 2017

Q7: open door for bidirectional communication. . . conclude appt with pls contact me with any questions you may have (and mean it). #PWchat

— Heidi Grabenstatter (@PatientIntv) December 13, 2017

Q7 act as patient champions against bad health laws, bad products, bad education #PWChat

— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) December 13, 2017