Good bedside manner can go much farther than just kindness and professionalism. In fact, the better the bedside manner, the less chance of confusion and hurt feelings. This pays huge dividends when something goes wrong and how the patient interprets it. It may pay for physicians and surgeons to spend that extra moment or say that extra kind word when dealing with patients.
The article, “Bad Bedside Manner or Medical Malpractice?” by Richard Console Jr takes a closer look at malpractice cases and the effect of good bedside manner in preventing them. He states,
“A good bedside manner is far more effective at reducing the risk of medical malpractice litigation than common practices of ordering excessive tests and procedures, sometimes called “defensive medicine,” The New York Times reported. The patients seeing doctors who faced the most malpractice lawsuits – not only the ones who actually filed those suits – felt that these doctors ignored them, rushed them or failed to explain things adequately. Frequently sued doctors are the subject of twice as many complaints as doctors without such a troubled history. Most often, complaints referenced the doctor’s poor communication”
To read the entire article, please click here
Doctor bedside manner can prevent many unneeded conflicts when no actual malpractice even exists. It is when patients perceive a slight that a case has a chance to develop even if it ultimately goes nowhere. Yet is it worth the risk? Taking time to better explain and show some empathy is important to the total treatment of the patient.
Please also review AIHCP’S College of Legal Nurse Consulting. The program is online and independent study and offers a four year certification in Legal Nurse Consulting for qualified nurses.