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Can a Nice Doctor Make Treatments More Effective?
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of New York Times
Posted: March 4th, 2019
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/well/live/can-a-nice-doct...
Having a doctor who is warm and reassuring actually improves your health. The simple things a doctor says and does to connect with patients can make a difference for health outcomes. Even a brief reassurance to a patient from a doctor might relieve the patients symptoms faster. In a recent study ... our research group recruited 76 participants to receive a skin prick test, a common procedure used in assessing allergies. The provider in this study pricked participants forearms with histamine, which makes skin itchy and red. Then, the doctor examined the allergic reactions. For some patients, the doctor examined them without saying much. But for other patients, the doctor had some words of encouragement. He told them: From this point forward, your allergic reaction will start to diminish, and your rash and irritation will go away. It turns out that this one sentence of assurance from a provider led patients to report that their reactions were less itchy even though the doctor didnt give any medication or treatment along with his words. We often think the only parts of medical care that really matter are the active ingredients of medicine: the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. But focusing only on these ingredients leaves important components of care underappreciated and underutilized. To really help people flourish, health care works better when it includes caring.
Note: The above was written by Stanford University psychologists Lauren Howe and Kari Leibowitz. Explore a treasure trove of concise summaries of incredibly inspiring news articles which will inspire you to make a difference.
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