KNOW YOUR
PATIENTS
As advances in technology accelerate, Dr.Brenda Dalibor Slavik Senger, Director, Physician Support Programs brings home the importance of the doctor-patient relationship and knowing your patients
By Maria Ryhorski Dr. Dalibor Slavik immediately grasped the severity of his long-time patient’s pain, noting his strained movements as he struggled to get out of his chair, and the tight, pale expression drawn across his face. “I just knew that there was something going on.” This particular visit took place at Dr. Slavik’s clinic, where he was able to observe the patient’s symptoms, not just hear about them. These in-person visits are still the norm but a recent survey by the Canadian Medical Association shows that the public is pushing for a different type of care. A significant majority of those surveyed indicated a desire for virtual care, with 75 per cent believing it would improve access, and two-thirds believing that it would be more convenient and result in better care overall.
While Dr. Slavik emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology to improve patient care, he also believes that truly getting to know your patients and building a trusting relationship with them is at the core of good family medicine – and that’s difficult to do from the other side of a screen. “Face-to-face contact is extremely important,” notes Dr. Slavik. “Long story short, this patient had cancer of the spine and I might not have picked it up if I hadn’t seen him.” The patient went into surgery that night, just a few hours after coming into his office with back pain. That face-to-face interaction provides the opportunity to observe a patient’s body language and expressions. It also builds trust and allows the doctor to truly get to know the patient. Once that relationship is established, the physician can decide when a virtual visit would be appropriate.
SMA DIGEST | FALL 2019
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