My Encounter with a Caucasian Patient

 

Some years ago, I attended to a Caucasian lady. She was a crew member in one of the International Airlines, so she visited Nigeria often.

She had a minor complaint which would have resolved even without treatment.

The encounter with her lasted less than five minutes, but she left a good impression which I had not experienced with black patients.

Less than one minute after she left my consulting room, she returned and the following discussion ensued.

Lady: "Dr, pardon me, please. Would you still advise me not to do anything about my complaints because I have been booked for a Pacemaker placement surgery in UK next week?"

I: "No, madam. You don't need to do anything."

She thanked me again and left my office.

Throughout the remainder of that day and several times since then, I have wondered if a Nigerian would give such unsolicited medical information to the doctor.

We are secretive people to our own peril sometimes.

The patients know what they have medically experienced in their past. The doctors don't until you tell them.

Telling the doctor all that matters health-wise is the ideal thing. In some time-constraining circumstances, it may be difficult for the doctors to get all the necessary information from you within the period they have because there are other patients waiting to be evaluated.

Yes, it is advised not to give unsolicited information to people generally. There is an exception to this caution. In medical or legal matters, you will be doing yourself a lot of good by telling your doctor and lawyer respectively everything you know about yourself so as to get the best attention.

While some patients answer medical questions wrongly, thereby confusing the doctor and other healthcare workers, some refuse to give very important information which would have helped the doctor. Their excuse is, "You did not ask me directly." This unnecessarily prolongs the time of consultation and their recovery too.

Medical consultation is a partnership and contract between the doctor and the patient. No one is doing the other a favour. However, the patient has much more to gain by providing a health information even if it was not asked. It helps diagnosis to be made accurately, reduces time taken to get well, and ultimately, it is cheaper.

If you are allergic to a particular medication, don't forget to tell the doctors every time you go for consultation, even if they forget to ask. Yes, they should ask. Giving the information voluntarily doesn't hurt you.

If you have voluntarily terminated a pregnancy before, and the doctor is attending to you on reproductive issues, provide the information. The doctor would be glad you did. He or she needs that vital detail like air to make work easy.

Doctors are non-judgmental in their professional life. There is nothing you say or will say that they have not heard from other patients. Rest assured that your name will not be mentioned in the media to have a disease.

Help your healthcare provider by giving full disclosure of health information always. Doctors sign an oath of confidentiality, so whatever you tell them remains in your folder.

Cheers to your good health.

Ademola Orolu

About the Author

Ademola is a Consultant Family Physician and writer. He founded the online health magazine, The Family Doctors, and was its Editor-in-Chief from 2017 to 2020, when he wounded up the magazine to concentrate on his full-time medical practice, Nathaniel Health Consulting, Matogbun, Ogun State. 

He is an author of many books including storybooks. He regularly writes on health-promoting topics and encourages positive behavioural change in his articles.