This is a direct quote from a book maybe you have read ("How A Doctor Thinks" by Jerome Groopman, M.D.):
"Does acknowledging uncertainty undermine a patient's sense of hope and confidence in his physician and the proposed therapy? Paradoxically, taking uncertainty into account can enhance a physician's therapeutic effectiveness, because it demonstrates his honesty, his willingness to be more engaged with his patients, his commitment to the reality of the situation rather than resorting to evasion, half-truth, and even lies. And it makes it easier for the doctor to change course if the first strategy fails, to keep trying. Uncertainty sometimes is essential for success." -p.155, last paragraph
I found this chapter of the book to be very insightful, as it deals with the obvious topic of uncertainty. If you have read this book or come across this situation of "clinical uncertainty" in real life, what are your thoughts on his opinion?
For me, I agree with him almost 100%, about 99%. His basic argument is saying that you have to be honest with yourself as a physician, and completely honest with your patient, even when you don't know all the answers, because let's face it, you don't. Obviously, as physicians, it is their job to find those answers but it's not always right in front of them, right away. Anyway, it is a really great book so far and I recommend picking it up if you haven't already but please do share your thoughts on this one topic, thanks.
"Does acknowledging uncertainty undermine a patient's sense of hope and confidence in his physician and the proposed therapy? Paradoxically, taking uncertainty into account can enhance a physician's therapeutic effectiveness, because it demonstrates his honesty, his willingness to be more engaged with his patients, his commitment to the reality of the situation rather than resorting to evasion, half-truth, and even lies. And it makes it easier for the doctor to change course if the first strategy fails, to keep trying. Uncertainty sometimes is essential for success." -p.155, last paragraph
I found this chapter of the book to be very insightful, as it deals with the obvious topic of uncertainty. If you have read this book or come across this situation of "clinical uncertainty" in real life, what are your thoughts on his opinion?
For me, I agree with him almost 100%, about 99%. His basic argument is saying that you have to be honest with yourself as a physician, and completely honest with your patient, even when you don't know all the answers, because let's face it, you don't. Obviously, as physicians, it is their job to find those answers but it's not always right in front of them, right away. Anyway, it is a really great book so far and I recommend picking it up if you haven't already but please do share your thoughts on this one topic, thanks.
