A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.
It can be as blatant as a public argument between a hospitalist and emergency medicine physician about whether a patient requires admission. But most commonly it is more nuanced and subtle. Such as members of one speciality “bad-mouthing” another or a subspecialist criticizing a generalist for asking for a consult they don’t think is appropriate. Not to mention the day-to-day interactions we have with other health care professionals in which we ignore, disregard, disparage, or otherwise fail to appreciate the work they do in caring for patients.
I’m talking about incivility – not treating each other with mutual respect and courtesy.
The word civility derives from civilis, the Latin term for “of a citizen.” While it is easy to think of civility simply as having manners and not being rude to others, in its truest definition it is much more than that. Civility refers to the action of being able to work together to reach a mutual goal, often one with an intended beneficent purpose. It means acting in ways that demonstrate a caring for the welfare of others in the context of a common, shared mission. This is why civility is a crucial aspect of a well-functioning society. But civility also applies to our other human endeavors, including medicine.
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