Most people want to think through, rightly so, about their situation and the treatment options available to them if there is time- if the condition is not desperate. In a non-urgent situation, multiple factors come into play and the least examined (by the patient) is the influence on their decision of the appearance and demeanor of the doctor. Has it occurred to you?
A handsome looking, even cherubic doctor is someone a patient is more likely to listen to and follow advice of rather than the same coming from an imposing person with a booming voice and an assertive behavior.This applies to most non-urgent situations, circumstances in which there is time to decide between two options. In a crisis, no one argues and people fall in line with the orders coming from the doctor irrespective of the makeup or getup of the doctor. It is also likely that the patient may dismiss, wrongly so, an advice coming from a doctor who comes across as mild just because he does not have the force of personality.
This is an error of thinking on the part of the patient and his relations.
It is a human weakness to fall for suggestions coming from a person of pleasing countenance and consider these as being in one's interest. This error overrides common sense and the patient falls for the appeal of the doctor without checking out other options of treatment and expertise.
Consider the fact that there are conditions that fall rightly within the domain of different specialties at the same time. An example of this is spine problems which could be addressed by orthopaedic surgeons as well as by neurosurgeons. It requires a bit of prodding to sift between the 'appeal' of the doctor and his experience in the subject at hand. Unfortunately, the smarter (more educated) the patient, the more likely he is to make this error of judgement. In this error, the patient equates the appeal with the expertise.
The doctor who has groomed his appeal over his expertise, knows this and cashes in on it. In the scenario of a prospective surgery, is your doctor more sweet than he needs to be? Beware.
A handsome looking, even cherubic doctor is someone a patient is more likely to listen to and follow advice of rather than the same coming from an imposing person with a booming voice and an assertive behavior.This applies to most non-urgent situations, circumstances in which there is time to decide between two options. In a crisis, no one argues and people fall in line with the orders coming from the doctor irrespective of the makeup or getup of the doctor. It is also likely that the patient may dismiss, wrongly so, an advice coming from a doctor who comes across as mild just because he does not have the force of personality.
This is an error of thinking on the part of the patient and his relations.
It is a human weakness to fall for suggestions coming from a person of pleasing countenance and consider these as being in one's interest. This error overrides common sense and the patient falls for the appeal of the doctor without checking out other options of treatment and expertise.
Consider the fact that there are conditions that fall rightly within the domain of different specialties at the same time. An example of this is spine problems which could be addressed by orthopaedic surgeons as well as by neurosurgeons. It requires a bit of prodding to sift between the 'appeal' of the doctor and his experience in the subject at hand. Unfortunately, the smarter (more educated) the patient, the more likely he is to make this error of judgement. In this error, the patient equates the appeal with the expertise.
The doctor who has groomed his appeal over his expertise, knows this and cashes in on it. In the scenario of a prospective surgery, is your doctor more sweet than he needs to be? Beware.
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