Technical prowess must not come at the cost of good bedside manner – and being able to balance facts with empathy
S
ome time ago, a judicious and considered surgeon was describing the complex operation required by our mutual cancer patient. The operation necessitated a large incision, prolonged anaesthesia and possibly a second operation. Then there were the long-term complications, including pain and disfigurement. The patient was elderly and somewhat vulnerable to begin with, so just listening to the plan filled me with consternation.
So, without telling him how to do his job, I asked politely: “What does the patient want?”
He looked at me as if I was disturbed before saying: “She wants to live. Isn’t that what everyone wants?”
