Non-clinicians skip over some of the most necessary underpinnings of doctoring and speak too much about housekeeping issues: blood pressure targets, aspirin use, mass screenings, immunization rates and so on.
People without medical degrees could do those things. But there are steps that must be taken before we worry about the measurables. These are the essence of being a physician, what people ask for when they come to see us. Most people don’t come in and say, “I need you to regulate my blood pressure,” or “Help me lower my cholesterol.” They come in saying, “I don’t feel good,” or “Help me stay healthy.”
Diagnosis
More than anything, people come to us to find out what’s wrong with them. They come with rashes, aches, fevers, coughs, “bunches” (the Maine word for lumps and bumps on their bodies) and concerns like fatigue, which could be a symptom of almost anything.
Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
