The patient and the doctor play equally important roles in the recovery process. I tell my patients “I can lead you to water, but I can’t make you drink.”
What that means is, the ideal patients to work with are the ones who want to be there. They are the patients that will give it their all. As a doctor, my staff and I work hard to set up food programs, recovery plans, lifestyle changes for our patients. However, we can only do so much. I tell my patients that my goal is to improve their quality of life. In order to achieve that, it’s important to have reciprocity in the process. I can design a plan, but the patient has to follow that plan.
The most valuable asset a doctor can have with his or her patient is trust. Without trust, there is little hope for recovery. Trust within the doctor-patient relationship is an understanding that what we as medical professionals do, is in the best interest of the patient. As long as trust is present, whether its trust in an exercise, trust a diet program or trust a procedure, the patients outcome will be better.
