Welcome to AiArthritis Voices 360. This episode join your patient co-hosts Tiffany and Kelly, along with roundtable guests rheumatologist, Dr. Alfred Kim, and graduate researcher Jerik Leung, as they conclude the first conversation in our exciting breakout series called Rheumy Rounds!
Today’s topic is improving communication between doctors and patients. Jerik and Dr. Kim explain some of the limitations doctors need to overcome in order to be more effective communicators. If you missed the beginning of this important conversation, check out last Sunday’s episode for Part I of Rheumy Rounds and a short break out "at the table" episode this past Wednesday focusing on Jerik's research on a patients' need for social support.
After you listen to this episode make sure to join the conversation by submitting your comments. We will assess all input and then pull up seats at the roundtable again to begin creating solutions TOGETHER! Submit your comments HERE.
If you are a patient, a parent of a juvenile patient, or any other stakeholder (doctor, nurse, researcher, industry representative, or other health services person) - are you ready to join the conversation? It's your turn to pull up a seat. Join our new AiArthritis Voices program, where people living with AiArthritis diseases and other stakeholders who we need 'at the table' to solve problems that impact education, advocacy, and research sign up to have a voice in our initiatives. By signing up, you’ll get notified of opportunities to be more involved with this show - including submitting post-episode comments and gaining insider information on future show topics. Patients and all other stakeholders are encouraged to join so we can match you with opportunities to pull up a seat and TOGETHER - as equals - solve the problems of today and tomorrow.
JOIN TODAY!
AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook (@ifAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org).
Show Notes: Episode 14 ”Rheumy Rounds™ Pilot Episode Episode 14: Office Visit Communication Obstacles (Part 2)”
00:52 - Tiffany welcomes listeners to the show
01:46 - Listeners may experience Rheumy Rounds episodes out of order
01:59 - Rheumy Rounds started because patients identified a need to better communicate with their rheumatologists
02:32 - Guests this episode include Dr. Alfred Kim and Jerik Leung, who have done research on patient needs and communication barriers
04:18 - Dr. Kim gets most of his information about patient and public perception of diseases from his patients who have been googling their diagnoses
05:45 - Up to 80% of human assumptions are wrong, and most of us base our decisions and behaviors on these assumptions
06:46 - Dr. Kim says google may be misleading for patients and frustrating for their doctors
07:25 - For many physicians, the emotional aspects of the disease aren’t actionable from a clinical perspective.
08:00 - Patients may be on the defensive at the outset of appointments due to previous negative interactions with rheumatologists
09:00 - Learning to advocate for yourself is necessary for patients living with chronic illnesses
11:10 - IFAA conducted a study in 2013 that found that at least 30% of AiArthritis patients experience brain fog within 12 months of symptom onset regardless of diagnosis
11:54 - Very difficult for physicians who have no personal experience with chronic or severe illness to be empathetic with patients because they simply do not understand
12:53 - It’s important for physicians to ask patients to clarify their symptoms if they do not have any personal experience with them
14:18 - Some doctors aren’t comfortable being in a space where they are no longer acting as the expert, so they won’t ask questions to clarify the patient perspective vs the clinical perspective
15:29 - May be easier for physicians to ask questions of patient advocates as opposed to their own patients within an appointment
17:24 - Patients who can describe their own symptoms very specifically and very accurately (without hyperbole) make the most effective communicator with their physician
18:20 - Patients must know their own body and their own symptoms (like where specifically is the pain within a certain joint or what precise motions are more painful than others)
20:12 - Photos, symptom journals, or lists of topics you want to discuss should be sent to your
physician a week before your appointment so they can prepare for the appointment and use
the time most efficiently
22:30 - A proposal to put NYC physicians on Yelp was widely opposed by physicians who did not want patients reviewing them publicly
22:59 - Dr. Kim wanted his Lupus Clinic to be on Yelp because he wants to know what patients are telling each other about their experience
23:29 - HealthGrades is a website that allows patients to review their US-based doctors
26:03 - Mutual trust is critical between the patient and physician
26:53 - Occupational therapy support may increase patient compliance with their treatment plan and help them and their caregivers achieve a better quality of life
28:05 - Physicians may not address complaints from patients that they are not equipped to handle, but they should be able to refer the patient to someone who can help them
28:59 - Most common reasons people “fire” their doctor: they feel unheard or treatments are not
meeting their expectations
30:33 - Both doctors and patients could potentially benefit from training on how to interact positively and productively with each other
32:15 - Rheumatologists, visit us at AiArthritis.org/rheumyrounds to get involved with the show
32:37 - Patients, please visit us at AiArthritis.org/podcast to contribute your thoughts or sign up to be a co-host
