Computers and Compassion V

In addition to the relationship in which compassion arises, the culture, too, affects what compassion looks like.

Let’s rewind 150 years to a time when few medical therapies reliably and safely altered the course of serious disease. After physicians made their diagnosis and offered their prognosis, compassion took center stage.

If the news was good, maybe they’d smile and squeeze their patient's hand reassuringly. If the prognosis was poor, maybe they’d shelter their patient from the distressing news, believing this the kindest, most compassionate approach. 

Patient care was simpler back then, especially compared to today’s complex, technology-driven medicine where physicians link patients to the miracles of modern medicine: antibiotics, CT scans, laparoscopic surgery and so on.

If you or a loved one has ever been seriously ill, surely you can appreciate the enduring value of physicians' old-fashioned expressions of compassion, such as an encouraging word or a sympathetic hand squeeze.

The difference is that while compassionate words and actions are comforting and inspiring, the compassion you need most is your physicians’ sympathy and desire to help that drives them to...
• use technology optimally to find out what’s going on in your body in a timely fashion
• determine the best treatments for you, and
• administer treatments as safely and expeditiously as possible, all-the-while keeping you as comfortable as possible.

Next: In the day-to-day care of patients, how your doctors’ compassion affect their ability to care for you.

Comments

[Bill Kleine]

My experience of both working with and going to many different doctors is that, when I am their patient, they never tell me what they think, but they always tell me what they know. Very computer-like: you don't see the underlying logic, just the output. And so I have learned to pay close attention to the doctors I work with and even closer attention to those who work on me. I rarely read compassion on a surgeon's face [or any other part of their body language] but I know it's there. My first surgeon became human when he told me about a patient [completely out of the blue as we were walking down the hall after my 6 month dismissal] who had recently presented to him just like I had, but was only in his early 20's and he had to sew him up without doing anything. He was a very taciturn man, but his eyes filled...

Radiologists? While I've had countless CT's x-rays MRI's and a couple of PET's thrown in, I've never actually seen one.

Doctors like Wendy Harpham MD who chose to practice the kind of medicine requiring they meet with what, maybe 30 people a day, did so because they really like people. Unless I'm completely withdrawn into myself with fear I see it every time. I like every one of my doctor's so much I don't even mind the $40 copays. I just wish we could all meet under different circumstances.

It's much more fun at work because we work as a team and the Medical Consultant sometimes has to explain what they think and why so we can figure out how the law [Social Security] should be applied to an individual circumstance. I am always in awe of how much they know about medicine.

Poker faced or not, I've never met a doctor who "was in it for the money." Logic by it's very nature, is without passion. I thank God for what makes us human every day.