This document provides guidance on building a cooperative relationship between patients and doctors for HIV care. It suggests that patients should (1) share their point of view, learn as much information as possible, and prepare for appointments, while doctors should (2) support their patients' interests, be flexible in their responses, and describe issues from multiple sides. It also addresses how to handle disagreements, noting that changing doctors should only be a last resort when other options cannot establish an acceptable relationship.
2. EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO
2 www.projectinform.org/questions
JANUARY 2010
Building a cooperative patient/doctor relationship
For the patient, continued ...
experience di erent health challenges, the doctor-patient
relationship style that works best for you may change.
LEARN THE INFORMATION
Knowledge makes a world of di erence. Generally, the
more you know before a medical appointment, the more
you can bene t from each visit. Obtaining information on
your own doesn’t need to be di cult or over-whelming. In
fact, the education process can begin right at home.
Many websites, hotlines and community organizations
are dedicated to answering questions about HIV. Realize
that you can’t learn everything at once, so concentrate on
the information that’s most important to your health right
now. While self-learning is great, it should not substitute
using your doctor as a source of information.
PREPARE FOR APPOINTMENTS
You can bene t most when a visit is well-planned. It takes GETTING EMOTIONAL NEWS
only a few minutes to write down key questions ahead of Be prepared for the emotional content of the visit. Most
time. Get in the habit of writing down items in a journal doctors are sensitive, caring people who respond emotion-
about side e ects you’ve experienced, missed doses, or any ally to their patients. Still, there’s only so much support a
questions that come up between visits. Use it to update doctor can give in the short time allotted for most visits.
your doctor at the start of the visit. Plan in advance to make use of other support resources.
Use the limited time in your doctor’s o ce to focus on If you prefer a more straightforward approach, let your
the most critical issues, rather than everything that comes doctor know. But don’t expect him or her to also serve as
to mind. Maybe bring along treatment literature to discuss your therapist if news is unusually hard to hear. By choos-
in the visit. is allows your doctor to know your sources ing a more direct approach, you also choose a path that
of information and how to evaluate them. requires greater inner support.
TOLL FREE NATIONAL HIV/AIDS TREATMENT HOTLINE 1 800 822 7422 LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL 415 558 9051 MONDAY FRIDAY 10 4 PACIFIC TIME
4. EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO
4 www.projectinform.org/questions
JANUARY 2010
Building a cooperative patient/doctor relationship
If disagreements occur ...
When disagreements occur, it’s dif- ion should be sought from doctors A doctor must feel that s/he is prac-
cult to know what to do. When an in leading AIDS hospitals, or doctors ticing sound medicine, while patients
active disease appears, such as a bout could call the WARMline at 1-800- may feel they cannot compromise on
of PCP, the doctor’s expertise must 933-3413. treatments they consider essential to
lead the way because its treatment is Disagreements about how to treat their health. Both must strive to listen
better known. Exceptions may occur HIV may occur. When patients have and understand the other’s views.
in institutions or areas of the country as much information as the doctor Sometimes, it’s possible to nd new
where expertise with HIV is not at a about some therapies, each may ar- options that neither party had expect-
state-of-the-art level, or when bureau- rive at di erent conclusions based on ed before the discussion began.
cratic procedures may hamper the similar data. is presents a challenge
quality of care. en, a second opin- for both.
The patient might ask: The doctor might ask:
“What will it take for you to feel “What can I do to help you better un-
comfortable with what I want to do? derstand the risks and why I’m con-
More careful monitoring? Reviewing cerned with what you want to do?” or
the decision in a month or two? More “What other options, if any, have you
review of available data? Discussion considered?” or “Will you wait while I
with other doctors? A statement re- review the matter more carefully?”
leasing you from liability?”
However, patients can’t expect their pect patients to “wait and see” inde - Changing doctors should be reached
doctors to heartily support rem- nitely while the research proceeds. only as a last resort, and only when it’s
edies for which there’s no supporting Sometimes doctors and patients clear that you both cannot accept the
evidence. Nor can patients realisti- must question whether it’s possible other’s part in the relationship. Each
cally expect their doctors to give the to continue their relationship. It’s of us must ultimately nd the combi-
same credence to highly experimental possible to maintain the relationship nation of patient + doctor + approach
drugs as they would to better proven while disagreeing and continuing to that makes a cooperative relationship
therapies. And doctors shouldn’t ex- communicate over the di erences. possible.
TOLL FREE NATIONAL HIV/AIDS TREATMENT HOTLINE 1 800 822 7422 LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL 415 558 9051 MONDAY FRIDAY 10 4 PACIFIC TIME