- Stay Connected
Socialize
Dishonest Doctors: Why Physicians Lie
The doctor-patient relationship is a complex one.
It occurs at a stressful and busy time for both the patient and the doctor. Because it involves at least two humans, there are usually at least three versions of the conversation: the doctor’s, the patient’s and the true version.
A survey published this week in the journal Health Affairs reflects this complex relationship. Lisa Iezzoni and her colleagues surveyed 1,891 physicians nationwide about how honest they are with their patients regarding medical mistakes and a patient’s prognosis.
The survey found that although two-thirds of doctors agree they should share serious medical errors with their patients, one-third did not completely agree. Nearly two-fifths of the respondents said they did not disclose their financial relationships with drug and device companies. And more than 55% of physicians said they often or sometimes described a patient’s prognosis in a more positive manner than the facts might support.
These survey results are unsettling. We all want to think of medicine as an honorable profession and that the people in it work with integrity.
While we should all be appalled that a doctor would deceive or lie to a patient, we should also look beyond the white coat for an explanation. While it is not a vindication, the fact is physicians are human. They have all the feelings and failings of humans.
Please keep in mind, medical errors can be due to negligence, but they are more often a failure to analyze data appropriately.
Many doctor errors are simply a matter of bad luck: The doctor was not good enough that day and would have done better the day before or the day after. Some bad outcomes are not really the physician’s fault.
Some doctors do not admit error out of fear of litigation. But my experience is that the discomfort of addressing one’s own failings or weakness is more commonly the reason for not coming forward.
It is a normal human tendency to not want to admit an error. Confession is difficult, especially when you have to admit responsibility to the person you have hurt.
In the case of a “bad luck” outcome, the physician may be unwilling to admit their lack of control. This is often due to a lack of communication during the consenting process — when doctors explain the possible outcomes or side effects — and can lead to patient anger when things go badly.
Ironically, when I have seen a doctor admit an error, the patient or patient’s family is usually forgiving and rarely sues.
So why would a doctor not be honest about a patient’s disease or prognosis? This is likely because doctors are not always the best communicators. Medical explanations involve defining some complicated things. This is difficult and it is often easier to just not do it. Sometimes there is a tendency to simplify to the point of not telling the truth.
It is unfortunate that our medical system pays doctors handsomely to do medical procedures, but does not reimburse well for talking to, counseling and spending time with patients.
In a normal office environment, a physician is often forced to see four or more patients per hour. Questions go unanswered or half answered as the physician moves from room to room assessing the patient, reading a patient’s history and lab research, documenting and looking things up.
It’s a rare private practice physician who can block extra time for a patient with special needs. This can be costly.
Telling a patient bad news is horribly difficult. It is always an emotional struggle for any caring human being. The emotional incentive is to hold back information or be less than honest. It is harder for me to tell a patient that they are dying — and that all we can reasonably do is try to keep them comfortable — than it is to tell a family member that a patient has died.
As someone who studies how health care is provided and how health care is consumed, this survey’s findings do not surprise me and the solutions are not simple.
We need to transform health care. This involves empowering the patient. Patients need to take an interest in their own health. Ask good questions and expect if not demand answers. Some patients will need advocates or navigators to help them.
The transformation also involves more members of the medical profession coming to realize the meaning of the term “profession.” A “profession” is a group of people who put their own interests secondary to the interests of the people they serve. A profession is also a group that educates and polices itself.
My greatest concern is many doctors and patients fail to comprehend just how complicated medicine can be.
Even doctors fail to remember that medicine is a science and an art, often with unclear answers. There are things in medicine that are scientifically known, and things that are unknown. There are also things that are believed.
The wise physician draws a distinction between the three. The unwise doctor often confuses what he believes with what he knows. These unwise doctors may not know they are not telling their patients the truth.
CNN
Posted by
Mpangula Mputyu
February 24, 2012 at 9:34 am
what is this?
mupandapwiti
February 24, 2012 at 10:02 am
this is busihti
Gaurdianer
February 24, 2012 at 10:08 am
God the creater is the only Physician we have,Doctors are just facilitators.Keeping the faith in God alone is the best!
Chama Febie
February 24, 2012 at 10:38 am
am lazy to read this SH!T
Sadi
February 24, 2012 at 11:01 am
This article is too long to read and comprehend mwe!
FAILED 90 DAYS
February 24, 2012 at 11:29 am
If you think tumfweko is boring,HANG YOURSELF
Blaise mbulo
February 24, 2012 at 11:47 am
YES INDEED THIS TOPIC IS VERY VERY BOOOORING!!YAAAAWN…
Tonga Bull
February 24, 2012 at 12:25 pm
what is this nonsense, you call this news, do you even have reporters. there is a lot of stuff happening in zed, get some real news.
ati shani apo
February 24, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Blah blah blah yak!
Joseph
February 24, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Tumfweko be serious…..
Drewman
February 24, 2012 at 1:47 pm
This ‘article’ reads like a third rate dissertation from an ***** who wants a masters degree in a field he doen’t understand. Swine…
Nkana
February 24, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Yaaaaaaaaaawn!!!!!!!!
ray
February 24, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Be serious naimwe ba tumfweko. Ili telyashi iyo
Sando
February 24, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Very complicated and confusing article.
To hell with it.
Teta
February 24, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Nga cali niwe,nga cali shani?
Isala akanwa,cilandelande
Big Chilolo
February 24, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Thanks for the info,but the subject is boring! Kindly report on subjects of interest. As for people who are fond of insulting at any slight chance(not on this article of course) my advice is;let’s criticize TUMFWEKO positively and no insults. Otherwise most comments and observations made on different topics are quite good and suppliments the articles. Keep on with the good work TUMFWEKO and all the people who read and leave their comments!
muntu
February 24, 2012 at 11:00 pm
we all have career interests. probably doctors and nurses not forgetting patients who were victims have taken interest in this topic. be civilised and do not critisize unnecessarily. you shall one time be sick and wont know if the doc is telling you lies or not. take keen interest in matters to do with your life or health. doctors lie about deaths in theatres too. they mite lie about your death in the theatre the next time you are dead. cause of death, poisoning yet they just forgot to connect back one artery to your heart. deceased.
peacemaker
February 25, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Great article! I work for MoH.It takes serious men and women to read this article and comprehend the contents. We like it or not, Doctors are simply human beings!They make mistakes!The high maternal deaths in this country is also contributed by lack of competences from some Doctors. The problem is not accepting their weaknesses hence problems continue.They pretend to know it all and fail to learn even from midwives and Clinical Officers. Humility very important!
P DAKA
February 25, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Yaba, amalyashi yamo……
Cote
February 25, 2012 at 1:37 pm
This is a very interesting topic. No wonder they say doctors bury their mistakes. I`ve heard of doctors who forget to remove scissors or other objects from the patients’ body after an operation.
logic
February 25, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Guys, u only topic’s to do with sex! No matter how long the article is if it’s sex u will read, no wonder they say there is a bad culture of reading in this country. This is a very interesting and educative. Am an accountant but could very well comprehend what was been said. Shame on you bloggers who think it’s boring.
mwandu
February 26, 2012 at 6:23 am
Its good to be well informed about issues…..and I think this is a good read. My fellow country men & women, its not always that you will read on sex, even articles like this are very good for us.
Tumfyeko you are doing good and please try as much to post articles on development of our country Zambia.
Fault Finder
February 26, 2012 at 7:25 am
I read paragraphs 1, 2, 3 skipped some, read a few lines down the article bla bla bla… Crap. Next!
Blessings mengo
February 26, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Even if its a huge topic its weathy reading you might have insight next the you have a patient.
563
February 26, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Very informative & educative staff.Keep on keeping on Tumfweko.
Zambian in Malawi
March 2, 2012 at 9:14 am
When Doctors think they are all knowing, this is the result. Let them appreciate that they just ‘cooperate’ with nature in bringing about healing NOT ‘operating’!