"How to Conceal Your Full Diaper"

Patients present to your office with the confidence that “thou shall heal.”  No technology, medication or surgery in our toolbox can heal better, in many situations, than our patients’ hope and faith.  We often hear of studies of the healing power of positive thinking, optimism and humor.  Much too much sickness is directly related to stress and worry.

Donna Karan delivered the message in an old commercial to "Never let them see you sweat". It is bad medicine to hide a problem from a patient and even worse to conceal a complication, knowing the result for your patient will be adversely affected.  The tender balance is to present a complication or problem in a fashion that lets the patient feel you are in full control and that there is hope.  This is not to say that all involved should not be realistic and honest.  Your facial expressions, eye contact (or lack of), voice inflection and careful choice of words will be the ultimate barometer of how your patient reads the situation.

Too many malpractice suits are the result of not letting a patient know there is a complication with a procedure.  Be honest early on.  Assistants need to understand that they are a complete and powerful extension of the doctor, and patients hold onto every word you say.  Sometimes not saying enough worries a patient and creates fear.  Other times saying too much opens up an area of concern for your patient.  Training, open communication with your doctors, role-playing, and set scripts to answer certain questions will help to eliminate many potential problems for you, your practice and most importantly, your patient.