Tips to help the patient

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 1

Tips to help the patient

By CINDY BAXTER, health reporter

Poor communication between patients and doctors is a common complaint, but something can be done about it, says a Christchurch man.

A microbiologist, Mr Ron Bridger, has written a new book on the health system for patients who want to get the most out of their visit to the doctor, specialist or hospital.

“The Medical Maze: A Patient’s Guide to the New Zealand Medical System” deals with the communication problems faced by patients, and how to cope with them. “We often feel in some ain awe of doctors or ely to be able to understand them,” Mr Bridger said yesterday. “I think it’s the fact that patients and doctors think in different ways and therefore often have a basis for discussion.”

A general practitioner will generate a communication gap because he or she does not want to give a firm diagnosis at the first consultation.

“It’s very hard for a doctor to say ‘just go home and I’ll put you on hold,” but that is often what they have to do.

“Tests must be done, drugs have to be taken to see what effect they have,” said Mr Bridger.

A lot of patients can expect to be cured, and should expect answers from their doctor, he said.

Medicine is a service, but people have tended to make it sacrosanct because their health is involved.

“It is just a very skilfully applied service. “Because it affects your health, you are not going to make waves and complain about the service because you think it could affect your treatment. There are very few doctors I know who will be offended if a patient complains about their service.”

A patient must explain sensibly what they find wrong in the doctor-patient relationship. Mr Bridger has written a set of answers for patients, telling them what to report to a doctor and how to do it. Although Mr Bridger is not a medical doctor, he has dealt with many patients in his work as a clinical microbiologist.