Being a physician attending to ill patients can indeed be very humbling sometimes. Even specialists cannot confidently predict how patients would respond to different types of treatments.
Though most patients may respond very well to one form of treatment, some patients may actually feel getting worse with the same treatment due to some side-effects.
That’s why feedback from patients is very important so the doctor can make the necessary revision or adjustment in the management of the patient.
Discontinuing the treatment without letting the doctor know why or going to another doctor to get another prescription is not really to the patient’s best interest. The new doctor will have to start from scratch, and may even order laboratory tests which have been previously done.
May Crystel Rago, one of our young but already insightful doctors at Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH), has a good advice to medical practitioners to avoid this pitfall in clinical practice. A good rapport between the doctor and his/her patients can promote mutual trust and confidence, and establish an open line of communication should any problem arise with the treatment prescribed.
Quite ironic
It is quite ironic that the busier the doctor gets, the less time he/she has talking to his individual patient during each clinic visit. Any attempt by the patient to communicate more about his/her illness and the effect of prescribed treatment is promptly interrupted with a curt reminder that there is still a long line of patients waiting outside.
This and other “real-world” challenges in clinical practice will be tackled in the 13th annual postgraduate course organized by the Department of Internal Medicine of MDH. Spearheaded by Dr. Petrarch Bravo, the department head, this year’s course has for its theme “Unraveling the Facts behind the FAQs (frequently asked questions) in Medical Practice.” It will be held on June 16-17 at Diamond Hotel.
“The two-day event aims to provide the participants with direct, definite and evidence-based answers to commonly asked questions and controversial issues in medical practice,” says Dr. Rago.
She explains that the course will help participants identify misconceptions encountered in medical practice, provide definite answers supported by current scientific evidence from literature to these common queries, and apply these concepts in clinical practice toward improving outcomes in patient care.
Topics and speakers
The topics and top-notch speakers were meticulously chosen by the scientific committee, headed by Doctors Arthur Dessi Roman and Maria Clariza Santos. Dr. Rago assures that the topics to be discussed in the course is really clinically relevant to the day-to-day practice of the average physician.
Topics include water therapy, mobile devices, blood transfusion, proper diet, skin lightening, drug interactions, cardiac rehabilitation, insulin, sliding scale, hepatitis B, LGBT health, advances directives, acute gastroenteritis and managing agitated patients.
The lectures will contain a lot of practical and evidence-based management recommendations which will be beneficial for those in general practice, family medicine, nursing service and other allied health-care service.
Well-known experts in their respective fields have agreed to share their knowledge and expertise. The faculty includes Doctors Willie Ong, Anthony Leachon, Russell Villanueva, Iris Isip-Tan, Clariza Santos, Olive Quizon, Winlove Mojica, Lynn Panganiban, Angela Domingo-Salvaña, Epifania Collantes, Katerina Leyritana, Karla Fernando, Michelle Pipo, Teresita Sanchez, Antonio Villalon, Prof. Edlyn Jimenez, Sonia Salamat and Joseph Adrian Buensalido as well as Prof Edlyn Jimenez.
Those who are interested to attend the course may contact the Internal Medicine Office (tel. no. 5580888 local 3550, or 0998-5580455/0917-5488365) or e-mail the organizers at internalmedicinemdh@gmail.com. They may also visit the Facebook page (Manila Doctors Hospital-Department of Internal Medicine) for other details.
“As health-care providers, it should be our goal to not only be good, but be the best we can ever be in our profession,” says Dr. Rago. “By continually improving ourselves by participating in courses like this, we become better physicians and with the new things we learn, we can render better service to our patients.”
Sometimes, old doctors like me get amazed at the wonderful insights young doctors half our age share. It makes us feel confident to gracefully fade in the background and give way to them.