I DON’T KNOW

This.  For all the health practitioners out there, it’s really ok to say I DON’T KNOW.  And for those that do, thank you.

Imagine you are suffering and you don’t know why. When you turn to the medical world for help, well-meaning doctors try to put you at ease by telling you that you’re “fine” and “It’s all in your head.” Women in particular hear that last one far too often, and it can dissuade them from seeking the help they desperately need. When you hear this from your doctor, a person you trust with your life and well-being, where else can you turn to relieve your pain and suffering? Some patients are driven to dangerous off-label medicines and treatments. Others find that their families and friends start to cast doubt on the validity of their complaints and symptoms, since, after all, a doctor dismissed them, and surely the doctor knows best. Although no doctor willfully intends for this to happen, it can lead a patient to feel isolated, depressed, and — in some extreme and deeply tragic cases — even suicidal.

So when a challenge walks through your door, you should relish it. It’s a chance to prove your chops and help another patient in need. To fulfill the oath we all took, doctors need to be ready to roll up their sleeves, put aside their egos, and partner with their patients. When it comes to vague but disabling symptoms, sometimes you will need to wear the dual hats of doctor and detective. And I know, this can be hard — not least because our current health-care system doesn’t allow for such time-consuming endeavors and we’ve all been trained in a culture that cautions us against telling patients when we’re unsure. But we owe it to our patients, and to our profession. We have to try.

Sandra Gelbard, MD

Why More Doctors Should Embrace the Words “I Don’t Know”

LENNY, 9th January 2018

Read the full article here.

ILLUSTRATION BY ARIEL DAVIS