Each one of us have been through this process ourselves when we go to visit a doctor...Whether it is a routine wellness check up or a sick visit, each time, the visit reinforces the trust or lack there of based on our interactions with the doctor. The initial appointment is all about gauging the trust factor. Its based on the biography of the doctor we "google" up, the doctor's chair-side manner, but most importantly the doctor's ability to instill the confidence in us with respect to the treatment course. That confidence is distilled from clarity in their clinical decision making, what they call as "thinking on their feet".
In my teaching world to budding dentists, I talk to them extensively about building their strength in listening to the patients- both to their verbal as well as their non-verbal communication, synthesizing the information they gather during the interaction to arrive at a clear, treatment course based on quick distilled clinical decision making process.
To my joy, I see the medical education here reforming. Now, in their interview process for future doctors they have started to look for just this ability- the ability to "think on their feet"- decision making.
This article recently published in NY Times, gives an insight into this refreshing change:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/health/policy/11docs.html
As much as academic training and textbook knowledge empowers a professional, it is their ability to integrate that training in a clinical setting with good listening skills, and arrive at clear decisions that makes him or her a good doctor.
So, your next doctor visit how do you know he or she is a "good doctor"?
- Professional demeanor (chair-side manner)
- Professional training biography
- Confidence that instills trust in you, through eye contact and body language.
- Clarity in educating you with the diagnoses
- Good listening skills and taking the time for that.
- Effective communicator of the course of treatment based on a clearly thought out clinical decision making path.
Empowering people with information about their jaw health and how to take care of it for a healthy living.
