A healthcare professional needs to be able to hear, see and understand you in the vulnerable position of needing help. The problem arises when the patient is tasked with relaying their symptoms and describing what feels amiss or troubling.
A survey by SheKnows looked at 1500 women’s experiences to find that 66 percent say they have difficulty expressing their ailment to a provider accurately. Eighty-one percent say they have felt misunderstood by their healthcare providers.
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They have trouble explaining what’s wrong without resorting to late-night google searches or vague descriptions. It can undoubtedly strain patient-provider relations, making individuals feel medically gaslighted or hopeless about receiving treatment. Here are a few experts’ thoughts on how this happens, the dangers of this communication gap, and what patients and providers can do about it
Misunderstanding Can Be Dangerous
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist Rachel Kaplan, who works with adults with chronic illnesses, said, “though feeling misunderstood by your doctor is common, it is also greatly isolating and discouraging.” Kaplan notes that people seeking healthcare want a “safe relationship with their doctor,” and going to your doctor’s office can be a stressful experience if you’re scared of bad news or have bad experiences with healthcare.
Everyone Is Running Out Of Time
RN Nancy Mitchell said that the time constraints of medical appointments and the anxiety-inducing nature of navigating health problems could contribute to these misunderstandings. Long waits for doctor’s appointments and short visits are notorious. Mitchell says many patients feel rushed or don’t have enough time to get over their nervousness and anxiety during their appointment.” Moreover, providers are expected to finish each patient interaction quickly.
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How Patients And Providers Can Help
A licensed occupational therapist, Rafael E. Salazar II, said that patients and doctors could maintain positive relationships through various steps. Patients should be allowed to share their narrative experiences with clinicians and facilities. It may be done as part of the intake paperwork or during the initial consultation. Salazar believes clinicians and organizations should allow patients to tell their own stories and be the ones doing the talking.