Uncertainty can be frightening for patients and doctors alike, but it's an unavoidable fact of medicine in every specialty. In this two-part story, we hear from a GP, a paediatrician, a surgeon and a rheumatologist about how they navigate the grey areas of diagnosis and treatment, and maintain a patient's faith throughout.
In this second episode, we look at the stigma and disorientation experienced by patients with medically unexplained syndromes. While the definition of functional disorders still causes some debate, behavioural strategies for intervention can often have a great impact on the lives of these patients. Treatment outcomes are never guaranteed, however, and clinical outcome cannot be the only measure of success. Our guests each give examples from their speciality about how a patient’s expectations can be managed from the beginning of the consultation.
Guests: Dr Louise Stone FRACGP (Australian National University), Professor Phil Fischer MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota), Professor Ian Harris RACS (Liverpool Hospital, UNSW), Dr Rebecca Grainger FRACP (Wellington Regional Rheumatology Unit, University of Otago).
Links to resources mentioned in the podcast are provided on the RACP website.
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