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Question about Doctors question? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Feb 2009
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Question about Doctors question?
I rarely visit my GP but I know from friends and family that this is quite common. Why do doctors, when you've said what's wrong, now ask and what would you like them to do?
I believe the doctor should decide the course of treatment including whether you are fit for work! |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
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It can be a good thing I think. They need info, by asking you questions they can gain info and your opinion, they hear your views.
It helps paint the overall picture. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Council Estate
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They are trained to ask you your Ideas Concerns & Expectations.
http://www.gp-training.net/training/...algary/ice.htm |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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I think it's to avoid possible litigation through making a wrong decision. They put the responsibility right back with the patient. Then, if anything goes wrong, the GP can say "well, it was her/his idea".
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#5 |
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Black Country lad in Yorkshire
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Quote:
I rarely visit my GP but I know from friends and family that this is quite common. Why do doctors, when you've said what's wrong, now ask and what would you like them to do?
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#6 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Never heard a doctor say that yet!
Last edited by muggins14 : 30-12-2016 at 17:20. Reason: Fingers in knots, typing crap :D |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London Town
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Quote:
I rarely visit my GP but I know from friends and family that this is quite common. Why do doctors, when you've said what's wrong, now ask and what would you like them to do?
I believe the doctor should decide the course of treatment including whether you are fit for work! Quote:
Answer..." I want to be cured please "
And that's probably what the Doctor is trying to gauge, "What do you want the end-result to be"? With arthritis a pain-free future may be possible, but being cured is not |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Mar 2004
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Because nowadays doctors are supposed to be collaborative rather than prescriptive. In other words, they are supposed to come to a consensus with the patient rather than telling them.
However this is a cultural thing. In some countries, people expect the doctor to tell them what needs to be done, and any doctor who asks the patient "what do you think we should do?" would be regarded as inexperienced or incompetent Older generations tend to be like that too.
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#9 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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It's all about managing expectations and allowing patients to have some input into their management.
It helps the doctor to see what a patient's own insight is into their problem. A lot of patients already have some understanding of their condition because lots of people Google before they go to their GP and will already have some idea of what to expect during their visit. There are often a range of options at the GPs disposal and patients are usually encouraged to try the simplest options first before embarking on things which are time-consuming, costly or unpleasant. Also, it is helpful to the doctor to find out if the patient is actually interested in co-operating with whatever investigations or treatment they recommend. ![]() There's little point in a GP prescribing drugs which a patient decides to stop taking after 2 days or referring them to physio if they have no intention of attending an appointment when it is arranged for them. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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I have never been asked that.
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#11 |
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When I went to the doctor's with my shoulder, he asked what I thought the problem was. I just answered the question with what I thought the problem was, and missed the perfect opportunity to tell him "I'm a physicist, dammit, not a physician".
And the icing on the cake would have been... his name really was Jim. |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Jun 2002
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Quote:
But what do you mean by cured? There are many conditions that may be controlled by a regular regime of drugs. So "curing" you just may not be possible, but enabling you to live a reasonably regular lifestyle is possible
And that's probably what the Doctor is trying to gauge, "What do you want the end-result to be"? With arthritis a pain-free future may be possible, but being cured is not |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Mar 2016
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I've never had this.
The closest I've ever got with this was informing the GP I had the same problem months ago and was given some antibiotics and cream. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Dec 2016
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Quote:
Because nowadays doctors are supposed to be collaborative rather than prescriptive. In other words, they are supposed to come to a consensus with the patient rather than telling them.
However this is a cultural thing. In some countries, people expect the doctor to tell them what needs to be done, and any doctor who asks the patient "what do you think we should do?" would be regarded as inexperienced or incompetent Older generations tend to be like that too.A Doctor Friend says she spends a lot of her time explaining to patients why a particular drug being heavily promoted isn't suited to their condition All US Drug adverts always end with a long list of caveats and side-effects but tend to be lost on the viewer who then wants the doctor to give them that drug, despite the advert warning them that the drug can't be used on people with several of the things the patient has |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Mar 2016
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Quote:
While in America, TV Viewers are told to ask their doctors why they're not putting them on x particular drug
A Doctor Friend says she spends a lot of her time explaining to patients why a particular drug being heavily promoted isn't suited to their condition All US Drug adverts always end with a long list of caveats and side-effects but tend to be lost on the viewer who then wants the doctor to give them that drug, despite the advert warning them that the drug can't be used on people with several of the things the patient has I have to admit that today when seeing the nurse about my asthma, I was half expecting her to give me something more than what I'm on now. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Mar 2004
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Quote:
While in America, TV Viewers are told to ask their doctors why they're not putting them on x particular drug
A Doctor Friend says she spends a lot of her time explaining to patients why a particular drug being heavily promoted isn't suited to their condition All US Drug adverts always end with a long list of caveats and side-effects but tend to be lost on the viewer who then wants the doctor to give them that drug, despite the advert warning them that the drug can't be used on people with several of the things the patient has |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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Quote:
But what do you mean by cured? There are many conditions that may be controlled by a regular regime of drugs. So "curing" you just may not be possible, but enabling you to live a reasonably regular lifestyle is possible
And that's probably what the Doctor is trying to gauge, "What do you want the end-result to be"? With arthritis a pain-free future may be possible, but being cured is not I was once asked by a GP what I thought was wrong with me, this after telling him my symptoms. I said to him that if I knew what was wrong with me I wouldn't be sitting in his surgery wasting his time. Fortunately we were near neighbours and he took it well. |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Dec 2016
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Posts: 141
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Quote:
Given the doctor is supposed to be the clever one with the medical knowledge he should know that the patient's aim is to get better by whatever means available or/and necessary.
I was once asked by a GP what I thought was wrong with me, this after telling him my symptoms. I said to him that if I knew what was wrong with me I wouldn't be sitting in his surgery wasting his time. Fortunately we were near neighbours and he took it well. The Doctor is attempting to manage expectations, you're not necessarily going to be cured |
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#19 |
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Quote:
Given the doctor is supposed to be the clever one with the medical knowledge he should know that the patient's aim is to get better by whatever means available or/and necessary.
I was once asked by a GP what I thought was wrong with me, this after telling him my symptoms. I said to him that if I knew what was wrong with me I wouldn't be sitting in his surgery wasting his time. Fortunately we were near neighbours and he took it well. On the other hand it may be an opportunity for a doctor to put a patients mind at rest if they have been googling symptoms and come to the surgery with their own diagnosis. For years the medical profession have been charged with being paternalistic with a major complaint being that patients weren't being listened to. Now we have people saying they want to go to the doctor to be told whats wrong and treated by them unilaterally. It's not easy to please all. |
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#20 |
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#21 |
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Quote:
When I went to the doctor's with my shoulder, he asked what I thought the problem was. I just answered the question with what I thought the problem was, and missed the perfect opportunity to tell him "I'm a physicist, dammit, not a physician".
And the icing on the cake would have been... his name really was Jim. ![]() ![]() ![]() Hands down my favourite post of 2016. (I'm treating myself to reruns of the Original ST on Netflix so I only heard the original comment again yesterday, if you know what I mean).Back on topic; I had an issue with my hip recently and it was very much a case of GP: 'Well we can go for the MRI to be sure or you could just try physio straight off - what do you think?'. I think it's refreshing that the whole doctor/God complex is being diluted with a bit of respect for the intelligence of their patients. Mind, it seems to suit this GP a little too much. I think he quite likes not having to make all the decisions. |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,717
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Quote:
I rarely visit my GP but I know from friends and family that this is quite common. Why do doctors, when you've said what's wrong, now ask and what would you like them to do?
I believe the doctor should decide the course of treatment including whether you are fit for work! |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Council Estate
Posts: 35,535
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I went to physiotherapy and they gave me the head consultant. Very Important. Not really interested. He told me physio had no point, suggested two different surgeons. Nodded sagely during one option and looked grim during the other.
This is my third post on this thread and yet no one listens to me.... |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Quote:
I went to physiotherapy and they gave me the head consultant. Very Important. Not really interested. He told me physio had no point, suggested two different surgeons. Nodded sagely during one option and looked grim during the other.
This is my third post on this thread and yet no one listens to me.... I also think GPs ask what you want as usually their are several options for the same complaint Also here in London (not sure about elsewhere) we can opt to chose from several hospitals to be referred to |
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#25 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Expectations are very different to asking what you think the problem is or what you think should be done. I expect the doctor to list out options along with what they reccomend. Once more informed I might be able to discuss expectations.
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Older generations tend to be like that too.

