Overcoming Medical Trauma: How Direct Primary Care Can Alleviate Patients' Fears of Doctor Visits

I read an article the other day titled “Your patient is scared of you-here’s why”.

I always understood that going to the doctor when you are having a medical issue can be scary for a whole lot of reasons.  However, the article made a point of just how traumatic interactions with the healthcare system can be when someone has had a negative experience with the health care system.  It is often referred to as medical trauma.

And it’s something that all too often is forgotten or misunderstood by healthcare professionals.  The author of the article rightfully points out how important it is for all doctors to prioritize understanding this phenomenon, as it can have devastating effects, and could lead to significant patient debilitation.

Most often, the fear comes after a negative experience from an ER visit, a surgery, or a misdiagnosis about one’s own health.  But interacting with the healthcare system when a sick family member is ongoing prolonged, intensive treatment may trigger the same emotional trauma for some.

I was reminded of this recently with a few of my own patients.  One patient had an unexpected abnormal imaging result, which led to many more questions about the possibility of some potentially serious diagnoses.  Another patient shared with me the fear of having a much-needed surgery because multiple family members have had serious complications from both anesthesia and surgery itself.

The author of the article suggests that the “first step is to slowly and empathetically explain what is happening, medically, to the patient step-by-step”.   I would also add that this should be done in clear, plain language, without unnecessary medical jargon confusing the situation further.  Also, recognizing and acknowledging that the illness or treatment can be frightening, in addition to obtaining consent at every step of the treatment, should be a part of the process.

In today’s health care system, where interactions with a doctor routinely last under 15 minutes, the time just isn’t there to really work through this complicated and time intensive process.  But we have to find a way-it’s just too important to the patient not to address these issues.

As a direct primary care doctor, I am grateful to have the time to develop a close relationship with all my patients.  I also have the time to address patients’ concerns with them at each and every interaction.  Whether it’s answering questions in text messages that the patient is sending me during their workday, or discussing outcomes face to face during an hour-long office visit, I am able to address my patient’s fears in a respectful and meaningful way.

In the end, all of us want (and need) to be heard and respected.  In fact, I have come to the conclusion that this is probably the most important part of my job as a direct primary care doctor.

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