Optimising the medical care of doctors Part 3 – during the consultation

Introduction

This is the third in a series of articles exploring issues involved in doctors treating other doctors. The first article looked at barriers to good medical care when the patient is a doctor. The second article discussed strategies that can be used before the consultation takes place. Particular emphasis was put on the value of the patient doctor contacting the treating doctor before the first consultation.

This article will focus on strategies that can be used by the treating doctor during the consultation to facilitate best possible communication. While these strategies could be applied in any consultation, an explanation of why they are particularly important when the patient is a doctor will be offered.