Patient jealous of doctor's computer
/A new trend I have observed in the examining room of a few -- though not most -- of the health practitioners I see is they're not looking me in the eye. It's actually disturbing when you talk to an expert about big things impacting your well-being and they're focused on a computer screen.
I feel like screaming: "Hey doc, I'm over here!"
Small gestures can make or break a physician-patient encounter. Many physicians may have an in-born knack for good communications or they observe in their training how it's done well -- or not -- by their medical school profs and mentors.
There's the tone of the voice. There's the healing touch, just a pat on the patient's back or hand. And finally, there is the therapeutic gaze -- making eye contact.
These subtle forms of communications help the doctor make his or her points, communicate what's going on with the patient's health and what can be done about it.
But some doctors don't look me in the eye anymore. Rather, they are focused on their laptop screen and keyboard as they fill out my electronic medical record in real time.