Search

Home > Portable Practical Pediatrics > Best Docs Listen, Observe, and Test (Pedcast)
Podcast: Portable Practical Pediatrics
Episode:

Best Docs Listen, Observe, and Test (Pedcast)
Category: Kids & family
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2017-07-23 15:20:54
Description: Introduction Welcome to another edition of Portable Practical Pediatrics! I'm your host Dr. Paul Smolen, also known as Doc Smo. From gestation all the way to graduation, if it involves children, we discuss it here. Today we are going to take on the question of what trait or traits make a great physician? How do you know if you have a just an average pediatrician or you've got one that is a cut above? Are the best doctors the ones that got the highest scores on exams in med school or the ones who have seen the most patients? Or are the best doctors the ones that are the friendliest, best looking, and have the best bedside manner? Since I have been practicing and teaching pediatrics now going on 36 years, the question of good doctoring traits is one that I have pondered for some time. Certainly, excellence involves a lot of factors but here is what I have concluded after a my long career in medicine; the doctors who are the best observers, take sufficient time and attention to get a thorough understanding of the child's symptoms, and then judiciously do testing to either confirm or deny their conclusions--those are the best physicians. In short, the best physicians are the ones that are the best listeners. The famous physician of the 19th century, William Osler who help found the Johns Hopkins Medical Center, said it best when he remarked, "Listen to your patient, he is telling you the diagnosis." In medicine, this is called getting a good history.  Today we are going to explore the art of diagnosis from a doctor's perspective. I am going to pull the curtain back on the diagnostic process behind your child's visit to the pediatrician and explore things you can do to maximize the value of your child's next visit to their health care provider. Musical Intro Most parents are really good observers. I have found that most parents are excellent observers of their children and their physical symptoms. Most can give an accurate, detailed, and useful description of their children's signs and symptoms. I must say however, that this is often more true of Mom's than it is of Dad's. Generally speaking, mothers can give a more accurate description than can fathers because they often, spend more time with their children. That only makes sense to me. Now here is something to consider before your child's next pediatric visit; Doc Smo Pearl: "Anything that gets in the way of your pediatrician's careful history taking process weakens your child's visit."  This reality is particularly important when a child is brought to the doctor for a more complex problem such as chronic stomachaches, a prolonged fever, or an unusual rash. Asking the right questions, getting an accurate description of the child's symptoms, and carefully listening to their answers is what good medicine is all about and what the best doctors do well.  Being a good doctor is synonymous with being a good engaged listener and observer. Things that get in the way of a good history: But parents need to understand that there are many things that can get in the way of their pediatrician being able to obtain a really good and accurate history. Let's go through a few of them: -Multiple children at a visit-You can imagine the scene-- 4 kids of various ages in am 8X10 exam room, fighting over a few books or toys. This often means chaos and not only is the doctor distracted from the issue at hand, but so is the parent history giver. -A very anxious or exhausted parent-These emotional states often distort and hinder a parent's accurate recall of their child's symptoms. Additionally, now, instead of focusing on the child and their symptoms, the pediatrician is now dealing with Mom or Dad's anxiety rather than the symptom at hand. In these situations, much of my energy is going toward defusing the parent's emotional state rather than learning more about the child's symptom. -Similarly, a parent who is mad at whoever or whatever is often not able to describe their child's sympto...
Total Play: 0