Dealing with Conflict in the Doctor-Patient Relationship: An Administrator’s Perspective at Tertiary Health Care Teaching Institution of Central, India

Abstract

Very old patient left medical college and hospital due to doctor patient conflict. Media coverage and defamation of institution were the some of the important outcomes. Despite best intentions, junior doctors cannot meet all patient expectations. Junior doctors encounter difficult behaviour and conflict with some patients or patients' families. Communication and manner are paramount. Throughout negotiation of a solution, junior doctors should use non-confrontational vocabulary. Agreeing, acknowledging the patient’s and family feeling, active listening, acting as a team and working together without blame or judgment and demonstrating genuine respect for the patient should weave through all aspects of the doctor-patient relationship and may need to be communicated more explicitly: Let's work through this together step by step. Restricted Consultation, easily accessible laboratory facility, good working environment – emergency triage system, maintenance of confidentiality, separate counselling facilities, and conservation of highest level of health care are utmost important for prevention of doctor-patient conflicts.

Keywords: doctor – patient relationship, conflict, junior doctors, strike, managing conflict