That’s Good Medicine

In a guest commentary piece in ASCO Connections, Dr. Dawood Findakly writes “Patients are human beings; they are not numbers in medical records or compelling cases to read about and treat. They are people with lives and families.” As fast-paced and hectic as medical care is, especially in light of the COVID pandemic, Dr. Findakly’s words are a refreshing reminder that physicians do place a priority on caring for the patient, not just treating a disease or condition.

When physicians hang up their white coats at the end of a shift, they don’t stop thinking about patients especially one that may be in decline or struggling. Empathy shown to patients — particularly during this trying time of COVID-19 that oftentimes isolates patients from family caregivers and other loved one — is what transforms sterile medical procedures into heartfelt patient care. This is among the countless reasons why the physician-patient relationship must be shielded from interference. One source of interference comes from the bureaucracy and red tape that grips health care. This often takes the form of gatekeepers and middlemen with inadequate clinical experience influencing medical treatment decisions. Patients and Providers United amplifies the voices that seek to keep patients and providers at the center of medical decision making, so patients receive the kind of good medicine that physicians like Dr. Findakly strive each day to deliver.