"the person-hood of the patient is pushed to the margin of medical attention"

Abraham Verghese is at the First Stanford Symposium on Bedside Medicine and reports

An anthropologist from Mars looking at our hospitals might conclude that the 'work' of medicine takes place in rooms far removed from the patient, typically in front of a computer screen. The actual patient and the person-hood of the patient is pushed to the margin of medical attention while the 'iPatient', the virtual patient rules.

Last night we talked about the ritual of the exam, and how important that ritual is. Rituals are about transformation, and the careful exam has all the elements of ritual, including a sacred space, a ceremonial garb (white coat and patient gown), a routine that is mysterious to the patient and includes disrobing and touch (which in any other context would be assault). Rituals are about transformation (think wedding, baptism etc) and this ritual when done well, is transformative, it establishes the physician-patient bond, it recognizes the body of the patient (the soma as opposed to the image of the body), and it is therapeutic, particularly in chronic disease, where the ritual repeated at every visit conveys to the patient that we are with them on the journey, we will not abandon them.

If We Can't Measure It, It Doesn't Exist

I've been hearing from a doctor friend just how poorly trained new residents are in developing relationships with their patients.    We see fabulous technological advances in medicine, yet the art of medicine is neglected and that is where the trust and healing takes place.

via Rod Dreher