Background
This is the fourth article in a series exploring issues involved in treating
other doctors. The first article discussed potential barriers faced by
doctors when seeking medical care for themselves. The second article
looked at strategies for minimising these barriers before the consultation
takes place, and the third explored strategies for use during a
consultation when the patient is another doctor.
Objective
In this article, a model for a biopsychosocial screening tool for use as a
prompt when treating other doctors is discussed.
Discussion
Many of the challenges involved in doctors treating other doctors
revolve around communication, not only what is said, but also what
remains unsaid. It can be tempting for the treating doctor to collude
with the patient doctor resulting in less than ideal medical care. Use of
a biopsychosocial screening tool and normalising the process of asking
questions on potentially sensitive topics can reduce the risk of collusion.
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