Empathy

It seems to me that a useful technological development, that has yet to be developed, would be a virtual reality simulator for doctors, giving them the opportunity to experience what their patients have to go through.

I get to go back to my neurologist this month, and as the appointment draws near, I’m feeling very anxious about seeing her. First of all, my symptoms haven’t stopped. The past few weeks I’ve had a lot of pain and discomfort, dizziness, fatigue, but when I tell her she’ll shrug it off as a natural part of having MS.

Well, thats great but it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve been in pain and will be in pain again until this stupid thing stops wreaking havoc through out my body.

I honestly believe that to specialize in one area of medicine or another, doctors should have to walk a day in a patient’s shoes. That way, they would have a little more empathy when a patient walks in and complains that their condition is causing major discomfort and, as a byproduct, upheaval in their lives. Doctors wouldn’t be able to dismiss the patient’s issues as easily.

Since most illness is internal, and outside of giving doctors cancer or diabetes or MS, a virtual reality program designed to simulate all of the symptoms and aspects of life a patient may go through, would be a helpful tool. There is a huge push to research diseases, find cures, develop better medicines, however there really isn’t a push to engender more empathy to the pain and suffering of the patient. 

New treatments are great, better medications are awesome, but the bioengineer or pharmaceutical rep or doctor aren’t going to be the ones taking said medications or treatment. Therefor, they won’t have to suffer the consequences or side effects. A doctor is like a general contemplating a battle strategy; they have to weigh the benefits against the deficits, and it there are more benefits to a course of action the deficits don’t really matter. But say that the patient who is made to feel sick by their medication. Sure, it’s supposed to help in the long run, but what about in the meantime? It’s it fair that life should stop because you’re waiting for the medication to do what ever it is it’s supposed to do?

Since there really isn’t a way to instantly get what you want, you do have to endure a certain amount of discomfort before achieving the desired outcome. This is where empathy on the part of your doctor comes in...

They may have to hurt you to help you, but they don’t have to be heartless bastards in order to treat you.