Of the various ailments afflicting us doctors, one compromises our communication immensely, affecting how our patients perceive the information we’re trying to send:
The deep conviction that both speakers perceive things the same way.
Beginner’s error –you will tell me; yes, of course, except that we are not experts in communication, unfortunately.
On the other hand, some patients suffer from an equally profound evil:
Believing they know (and understand) medicine. These “innate” or “learned” false truths come from various sources of validated misinformation.
They are not scientifically proven.
That’s how the setting is prepared for a burlesque theater scene where the protagonists inappropriately interfere with unfounded convictions. This genuine dialogue of the deaf is in no way conducive to patient support!
“The basics” are a series of short articles targeted at crucial points regarding public health. As such, they are paramount to your health.
However, the articles do not pretend to teach you physiology and the functioning of the human body. Nor are they intended to replace the role of excellent doctors worldwide.
These articles are a straightforward and transparent source of information. They aim to shift the focus on reality, defining scientific truths and their impact. The end purpose is to show what these theoretical truths imply in real life.
Ultimately, this information helps build the foundations of quality communication between doctor and patient. This concise transmission of information will facilitate better follow-up and patient adhesion to the proposed care plan.*
* The care does not always imply a drug treatment, as we will see later.
