Doctors Existence More Vulnerable Than Ever Before: Survey

Doctors around the world are facing it difficult to cope up with the rise of technological advancements in the field of medicine. It has given powers to the patient which it uses flamboyantly. With the availability of almost everything on the Internet, the patient is free to search and diagnose himself with it. This has led to undermining a doctor's abilities and hence, their status is threatened. A recent study, ‘Truth about Doctors’ was conducted where 2,000 doctors across 16 spheres were surveyed by McCann Health and McCann Truth Central. A glimpse of the doctors’ current status is tabulated below.

Percentage of Doctors Problems faced by them

1. 82% Felt stripped of their ability to heal the patients
2. 66% Experienced troubled sleep at night
3. 58% Gone through rough patch in marital life
4. 53% Felt time is their greatest resource
5. 82% Felt providing care is their main objective but were restricted due to technological barriers

The studies showed that a great percentage of doctors felt worthless and unable to care and heal patients. Many of them had troubled sleep and faced marital problems. Frustration was the most used word and the doctors felt uneasy while communicating with their patients. This has changed the patient doctor dynamo a great deal. Health and Wellness aided by technology has changed the health sector at an amazing rate. The patients are ever more informed of their problems and are more knowledgeable, says Prasoon Joshi, Chairman McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific, CEO and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India. He also adds that the doctors are the nodal points and primary caretakers without whom, this health and wellness ecosystem cannot thrive.

Health sector has to keep up with the rising technology and doctors have to play a vital part in the upstreaming technological forces. Harshit Jain, Marketing Director (Asia Pacific) and Country Head (India) says that the patient’s expectations have increased.  The social media and Internet keeps them pre informed and hence, they do not rely on doctor’s advice. He added that if the doctor fails to care for a patient, angry relatives mob the doctor and hospital equipments. This poses a threat to doctors nobility, harms their self esteem and doubts their ability to heal. Jeetendra Dabbas, Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Worldgroup India points that people have changed perspective of doctors. This has caused pressure on doctors, both on professional and financial front.

Technology has empowered the patient and now all search results are just a click away. The patient feels no longer the need to discuss his problems with the doctor. This leads to wrong medication and breaks the chain of patient doctor relationship.

The study shed positive light on the subject too. The doctors can also benefit from the technological upsurge by providing guidelines and following systematic approach. The knowledge gained from Internet can be misused and multiple search results lead to confusion. It is here the doctor's role comes into play. The emotional support, empathy, listening and observing, and gratitude can be provided only by a professional doctor and not through electronic gadgets.

Instead of approaching the doctor at the last stage where all remedies fail, the patients need to be upfront and take the doctor’s advice. The only way doctors can maintain their status is to guide and educate the patients about their problem in a concise way. Patients also need to maintain a healthy relationship and keep in touch with their doctors frequently.