A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com.
It is not uncommon for my patients and their family members to ask for my credentials at the end of our preoperative interview. Despite reaching my forties, my Asian genes have allowed me to maintain a youthful appearance – often causing apprehension about my claim to be a doctor. I diligently go through my bona fides: college, medical school, residency, two fellowships and finally, the master’s degree in health informatics I received just this year. To my surprise, they seem to dismiss my medical education and instead, question my “crazy” reason for going back to school. I tell them my reason was, “for them!” I wanted to learn how information technology, in particular social media and mobile apps, could be harnessed and lead to more effective patient-centered care.
Inevitably, this part of the discussion facilitates openness, leading them to divulge: their struggle to understand their medical conditions; their pursuit of health information online; and, their opinion that the medical profession seems inaccessible. In that brief conversation, without saying more, I become a trusted advisor and medical confidante. In the specialty of anesthesia, where we only have a short time to establish trust with patients before surgery, those originally suspicious patients become my die-hard fans. They see me not just as another physician anesthesiologist, but as their physician anesthesiologist.
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