Physician’s Weekly co-hosted another informative discussion as part of the #PWChat series, with Linda Girgis, MD, based on her blog post on why doctors are losing the public’s trust.
Topics covered in chat included:
- What makes trust between patients and physicians so important that Dr. Girgis would say there is no relationship where the bond of trust should be so strong, outside of matrimony.
- How third parties have contributed to the erosion in the patient-physician relationship in recent years.
- How outlier doctors who game the system have contributed to doctors no longer being held is such high esteem as they were decades ago.
- and more…
You can read the second part of this #PWChat here.
Below are the highlights from the chat. You can read the full transcript here.
Question 1
Q1: What makes trust between patients and physicians so important that you would say there is no relationship where the bond of trust should be so strong, outside of matrimony?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) November 30, 2017
A1. A patient’s life may depend on trusting their doctor. #PWchat https://t.co/03wD0INffp
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
Likewise, the doctor needs to trust that the patent is giving complete and accurate info to make the best decisions. #PWchat https://t.co/o763Qfb1uL
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
Question 2
Q2: How have third parties contributed to the erosion in the patient-physician relationship in recent years?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) November 30, 2017
They deny care, they obstruct care, they require onerous paperwork 4 payment that is insufficient leading drs to see more pts & spend less time. Drs. shouldn’t contract with them. #optout #DirectCare
— Dr. Molly Rutherford, unbridledMD (@vtdocmom) November 30, 2017
A2. They interfere with the decisions doctors and patients make by denying services and/or medication. #PWchat https://t.co/2ao7gzIOwm
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
I agree about health insurance companies. It often is hard to get patients the services they need these days. Many patients get upset at us. #PWchat https://t.co/TuZAuhqv1T
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
Insurance companies and their allies have been able to successfully confabulate “health insurance” into “healthcare”. DCP physicians are changing this model.
— Robert Vance (@WVUpython) November 30, 2017
Question 3
Q3: How have outlier doctors who game the system contributed to doctors no longer being held is such high esteem as they were decades ago? Any examples?#PWChat
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) November 30, 2017
A3. A good example are “pill mill” doctors who write controlled substance Rxs for $$$. they helped fuel the #opioidepidemic. #PWchat https://t.co/d67yWoQyHB
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
A3 Medicate fraud, pushing people through like cattle/numbers & not as patients #PWChat https://t.co/IymorIf0Cw
— Lisa Davis Budzinski (@lisadbudzinski) November 30, 2017
Question 4
Q4: How have mandates, such as meaningful use and MACRA, led to patients feeling their doctors are no longer listening to them?#PWChat #EHR #mMeaninfulUse
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) November 30, 2017
A4. Doctors need to spend more time documenting metrics not necessarily needed for patient care. takes time away from patients. #PWchat https://t.co/nJNNz8XLI9
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
A4 You could literally spend an entire 15 min visit checking boxes & addressing quality management tabs and not have any time left to address a patient’s concern. #PWChat https://t.co/JEf81G5gC5
— Dr. Victoria Dooley (@DrDooleyMD) November 30, 2017
Question 5
Q5: How have HMO cuts in reimbursements to doctors contributed to patients feeling doctors are pushing them through for profit and don’t care about them?#PWChat #HMO
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) November 30, 2017
A5. Overhead costs continue to rise. When reimbursements are cut at the same time, the only way to stay in business is to see more patients. #PWchat https://t.co/OoYoSh6vL9
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
Question 6
Q6: How has the media’s portrayal of doctors contributed to the erosion of the patient-physician relationship?#PWChat #media
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) November 30, 2017
A6. Media loves to sensationalize bad doctors. We rarely see good doctors in the news. It clouds public perception of all doctors. #PWchat. https://t.co/a7BxSbOCQF
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 30, 2017
