Just finished a teleconference on AIDET, patient communication techniques

[Tobra]

This is plan to promote better doctor-patient communications.
What is AIDET: Five Fundamentals of Patient Communication? - Wellsphere

My take on it was that most doctors don't treat people with common courtesy. Went through this whole thing, and all I got out of it is that I should continue to practice just exactly as I have been.

For those of you that have a doctor you see at least occasionally, how well do they communicate with you? Do they treat you with respect and common decency?

[Seahawk]

Doctors are like any service provider, how well they communicate and treat me is just part of my rational for doing business with them.

I have been shopping for doctors to do my inevitable hip replacement. This is a huge deal to me: this is not a trivial surgery and I have found the Doc that best meets my needs.

I usually break things down in threes: Prep, Execution and Follow-up. I found a Doc that was able to mesh top scores in each area. The nicest Doc on the planet that can't carve a turkey is no good to me.

I will say this: The "mood" in the doctors office is the absolute best tell on the caliber of service provider you are dealing with. Talent attracts talent at all levels. My dentist has the absolutely best office environment imaginable. She hires great people and the place is a joy with minimal wait times.

BTW, if I showed you a picture of my left foot, you'd probably faint

[GWN7]

My Dr of 25 years just moved his practice (30 years at that location) and never informed me. Found out from another guy I know who see's him. I still waiting for him to call and tell me that the spot on my finger is skin cancer (the specialist called to tell me it was). I've drafted a letter of complaint to the local medical association. Maybe they will pull his licence.

[bivenator]

I contract with 3 different dr's office. Each one has a different vibe associated with it. My favorite is my current location. The doc is professional, staff attentive and the office hums along efficiently. He is probably the most talented of the three. Office two, the staff is rude, doc is indifferent and the wait times we put the patients thru drives me crazy. Office three is a blend of the others. Doc seems preoccupied with outside interests but still does well with his patients, staff looks for ways to cut corners but seems to get the job done.

The advice on the office reflecting the Dr's approach to patient care is spot on.

[pavulon]

As most know, the spectrum of bedside manners is full and not necessarily reflective of skill. I think it unusual to find exceptional skill and exceptional manners in the same person. If present, there are few limits for those who have both.

Also, AIDET is a big part of the Studer program. Iv'e found that program to be a sprinkling of common sense mixed in with tons of tasks. Administrators frequently use it when they've run out of ability to do the jobs for which they were hired. Many will then ascribe every small success to engaging the program yet never mention it when there are failures.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Doctors are like any service provider, how well they communicate and treat me is just part of my rational for doing business with them.

I have been shopping for doctors to do my inevitable hip replacement. This is a huge deal to me: this is not a trivial surgery and I have found the Doc that best meets my needs.

I usually break things down in threes: Prep, Execution and Follow-up. I found a Doc that was able to mesh top scores in each area. The nicest Doc on the planet that can't carve a turkey is no good to me.

I will say this: The "mood" in the doctors office is the absolute best tell on the caliber of service provider you are dealing with. Talent attracts talent at all levels. My dentist has the absolutely best office environment imaginable. She hires great people and the place is a joy with minimal wait times.

BTW, if I showed you a picture of my left foot, you'd probably faint

I interviewed a couple of bone cutters to do my hip. I asked other people who they used. I wish I had access to interview the nurses at the hospital. Every one of my nurses at the hospital said he was a real nice guy. I am mad at myself now for having put off my hip replacement so long. It was no picnic but it was not that bad. The pain is gone. He fixed my hip.

[Rikao4]

my Lady deals with many Doc's...
some I know from my ER days @ BAMC..
my Dr. upon seeing my name in 'admissions '..
came by and said hello & did a quick check..
we have a list for who will do what.. if needed..

Mom's oncologist is an a$$..
she took a fall recently & the x-rays showed a spot on her L side..
having survived colon cancer and recently losing her R breast to the other ...
this was real scary..
she got scanned..
a basket case while waiting for the results..
he mailed them..

all is well for Mom..
me..I think I will push him down the stairs should I see him..

Rika

[Nathans_Dad]

Welcome to the club. Our hospital has been doing AIDET for two years now. I'd give it mixed results. Don't get me started on HCAHPS and the current state of Medicare. Good gravy what a mess.

[jyl]

My PCP is friendly, always have time to show me my chart, explain test results, discuss whatever the issue is, chat about whatever, in a fairly short time slot.

The reason, besides that he is a good doctor, is that we use the hospital's messaging system. When I'm going to come in, I log in and send him a message. Doc, these are my issues and questions, can you set up the appropriate labs. He places the order, I drop by the lab and give blood or whatever. A couple days later the results come in, I get them electronically and he gets them. I look at the values, compare them to my previous values, list whatever questions I have, go in for my appt. He already has the labs he wants, so after physically examining me he is done and we get things done so efficiently that we have time to talk bikes.

Obviously I've also gone in on a more urgent basis - kidney stone etc - without the preparation.

[livi]

Thats why I find it easier to deal with toddlers.

[Schrup]

I have a check up next week. My doc is arrogant, but he's saved my ass a couple times, so I tolerate him. His nurse is pretty hot, I like her a lot more than him.

[fastfredracing]

I know it is minor to the doctor, but when I broke my hand, It was big deal to me. I had a few questions that I wanted to ask, before scheduling surgery, and, for the life of me, I could not get two minutes time out of the guy.

[Don Plumley]

I don't suffer fools well in any profession. I'm polite, but never go back.

For myself (and family), the answer does depend on the disease. For example, for a surgeon, I want the best technician in the area, the cutter that other docs would go to. He/She might be a flaming donkey cavern, but aside from the obligatory pre-op swing through, I'm asleep when they are doing their work.

However, for an oncologist, they need to be up on the latest stuff and have an amazing patient rapport. I have a good friend that's had four lymphoma (successfully treated) relapses. The first doc he saw was dismissive of questions, gave him the chills, wanted to put a port in and start pumping in nasty chemotheraputics. He then went to see the big deal blood doc in town - he had a to wait a long time in the waiting room because the doc would spend as much time as the patient needed to understand a very complex disease and treatment - then used the latest in antibody therapy for a treatment regimen that was not much worse than getting the flu. Having confidence in your oncologist over a long period of time is so important. And I'm hoping to never know...