Special Episode: Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan & Unheard
Jul 16, 2024
auto_awesome
Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan discusses the issue of patient dismissal in Healthcare, exploring systemic challenges in the doctor-patient relationship, impacts of miscommunication on marginalized communities, and strategies to enhance listening skills in medical practice. The conversation touches on hurdles in physician-patient communication, disparities in medical research, and the importance of decolonizing global health for equitable healthcare.
Preparing for doctor visits enhances communication and patient advocacy.
Diversity in medical workforce benefits patient health outcomes.
Research gaps hinder advancements in treating conditions affecting minoritized groups.
Deep dives
Patient Advocacy and Agency in Healthcare
Patients can increase the chances of being heard or listened to by their healthcare providers by being prepared for consultations with questions and symptoms lists, taking someone along for support and advocacy, seeking continuity of care with the same doctor, knowing their rights, and communicating any special needs for better understanding during appointments.
Importance of Diverse Medical Workforce
Research shows that a diverse medical workforce improves patient health outcomes. Increased representation of minoritized doctors positively impacts patient care, demonstrating longer life expectancy and lower mortality rates for patients within their own communities, emphasizing the necessity of diversity in the medical field.
Effect of Research Gaps on Care
Research gaps primarily impact care for conditions predominantly affecting minoritized groups, perpetuating inequalities in healthcare. Funding disparities and lack of representation in research hinder advancements in treating conditions such as endometriosis and ME/CFS, showcasing the urgent need for inclusive and comprehensive medical research.
Challenges in Medical Training and Listening Skills
The hierarchical nature of evidence in medicine often prioritizes quantitative data over patient voice or experience. Objectivity in evidence rankings and disease prestige criteria affect patient care, leaving conditions like fibromyalgia or long COVID less valued and researched, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and patient-centered approach.
Decolonizing Global Health and Overcoming Historical Biases
Global health practices have origins in colonial times and continue to reflect imperialist principles, leading to disparities in health research and care. Efforts to decolonize global health by empowering local researchers, valuing their knowledge, and acknowledging diverse perspectives are crucial in addressing historical biases and advancing equitable healthcare practices.
Receptivity to Change in Medical Practices
Medical practitioners are increasingly receptive to the need for improved listening skills in patient care, recognizing the impact of being unheard on patient outcomes. Acknowledging inherent issues in medical training and practicing reflection, system-level change, and patient empowerment are vital steps toward enhancing the physician-patient relationship and improving healthcare overall.
Going to the doctor is probably not at the top of anyone’s list of enjoyable activities, but when we do go, we expect and deserve to be heard, to have our concerns listened to and our questions answered. However, most, if not all, of us have at some point felt unheard, dismissed, or even gaslit by our healthcare provider. What is it about the doctor-patient relationship or the way medicine is practiced today that enables this miscommunication or mistreatment, and how can we make things better? In Unheard: The Medical Practice of Silencing, author Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan draws upon her experience on both sides of the patient-physician relationship to explore these questions in depth. Dr. Dhairyawan, who is a sexual health and HIV doctor with the NHS as well as a health equity researcher and science communicator, demonstrates with clarity and compassion how each dimension of healthcare, from training to research and beyond, can contribute to this pattern of patients going unheard. Tune in to this fascinating discussion today!
