KevinMD has a great piece today – The balancing act between science and art is what makes medicine so challenging
In a recent piece in The Atlantic, Dr. Verghese again writes not to let technology obstruct patient care. Indeed, he observes that “I still find the best way to understand a hospitalized patient whose care I am taking over is not by staring at the computer screen (or not by that alone) but by going to see the patient; it’s only at the bedside that I can figure out what is important.”
I often tell students that I love internal medicine because being a great internist requires a fully developed left brain and a fully developed right brain. My rounds follow a set pattern that enables us to focus fully on both the art and the science.
I spend the first 1/3 – 1/2 of rounds discussing the patients. During this time I have the students and residents tell me what is happening with the patients. We discuss test results, physical exam findings, consultant recommendations, and how the patient looks.
Then we go to see each patient. In each patients room the focus of rounds shifts entirely to the patient. Sometimes I take further history; sometimes I explain our plans and our thinking; sometimes I deliver good or bad news. If the patient has physical findings, with the patient's permission I have the learners listen, feel or percuss the finding.
We spend time discussing the doctor patient interaction, not theoretically, but in the context of what we actually do at the bedside.
We have a classic quote that pertains to Kevin's entry – when in doubt, go see the patient! Bravo Kevin!
