Patients' Relationship with their Doctor

My participants thought being approachable was an important quality to look for in their doctor. This quality includes doctors listening to their patients, acknowledging their feelings, taking into consideration the outside circumstances of their patients, and using verbal and nonverbal ways of communicating.

RESPONSIVE DOCTORS

Two participants suggested they wanted a doctor who is approachable by listening to and acknowledge their patients.

Cody

During a recent visit to his doctor, Cody felt his concerns about his health were heard by his doctor for the first time since he began seeing this doctor. He displayed this in his photo by partially showing what was behind the wall as a glimmer of hope of being heard.

UNRESPONSIVE DOCTORS

My participants explained that doctors who fail to address the concerns of patients or acknowledge their patients' feelings may cause their patients to feel they have no compassion for them as a patient.

Emma

Emma visited several doctors for migraine headaches for years who prescribed her medication for the pain, but never asked questions to find out the cause of her migraines. She felt dismissed by her doctors who did not listen to her thoughts and concerns about the issue.

VERBAL WAYS OF TALKING TO PATIENTS

My participants noted that their doctors use conversation and other verbal ways of talking to them to display their responsive behaviors.

Robert

Robert's doctor prefers for his patients to get their blood drawn for labwork a week before their scheduled appointment. He said his doctor "used to not do it like that," but changed his procedures to improve patients'experience. Robert said his doctor wanted his patients to have a complete understanding of what the results mean in their life.

NON-VERBAL WAYS OF TALKING TO PATIENTS

One participant described that he uses nonverbal ways to communicate about his health to his doctor.

Robert

Robert sees his bloodwork as one way his body communicates with his doctor about health conditions he may not be aware of. He calls this strategy "more symbolic communication through the results" of his bloodwork, rather than Robert explaining his health problems verbally to his doctor. Robert used the blood pressure cuff and monitor to show one way his body communicates non-verbally with his doctor.