Improving Medical Outcomes

The Psychology of Doctor-Patient Visits

Jessica Leavitt, Fred Leavitt (Autoren)

Buch | Hardcover

256 Seiten

2011
Rowman & Littlefield (Verlag)
978-1-4422-0303-7 (ISBN)

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The problems faced by medical doctors and automobile mechanics are in some ways quite similar—something isn't working right and must be fixed. They must both figure out the cause of malfunctions and determine the appropriate treatments. Yet, the mechanic has no need to worry about an automobile's psyche; the specific mechanical factors are the only ones that come into play. In health care, however, the factors influencing outcomes are broader, more complicated, and colored by the underlying psychological factors of those involved. These factors have profound effects. Doctors are often influenced by patients' description of symptoms, yet information is often incomplete or inaccurate or colored by the patient's own experiences. The doctor's own demeanor may greatly affect outcomes, as can the doctor's ability to interpret the ever-expanding medical literature. These underlying influences are often not acknowledged, and yet they can have far-reaching consequences. Acknowledging these psychological factors and learning how to overcome them are the first steps in improving communications between doctors and patients and to improving diagnosis and treatment. Here, the authors offer strategies for remedying the situation and moving forward to a better understanding of doctor-patient visits and their outcomes.

Jessica Leavitt is an attorney who has worked in city government, community college, and non-profit organizations. She is active on state and city boards and commissions, including the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Fred Leavitt is professor of psychology at California State University, East Bay. He is the author of The Real Drug Abusers (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003), Evaluating Scientific Research (2003), and several other books and journal articles. He lectures at hospitals and other venues and offers continuing education seminars for medical professionals.

Introduction
1. Doctor-Patient Communication
2. Interpreting Medical Information
3. Decisions Overview
4. Biases
5. Medical Diagnosis: The Problems
6. Reducing Diagnostic Errors
7. Prescription for Prescribing
8. Expectation Effects
9. Complementary and Alternative Medicine
10. Patient Outlook and Social Connectedness
11. Healing Environments
Appendix 1: Psychiatric Diagnosis
Appendix 2: Darwinian Medicine
Appendix 3: Wellness Strategies

Erscheint lt. Verlag	16.12.2011
Verlagsort	Lanham, MD
Sprache	englisch
Maße	160 x 240 mm
Gewicht	558 g
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie
Themenwelt	Medizin / Pharmazie ► Medizinische Fachgebiete ► Medizinethik
ISBN-10	1-4422-0303-X / 144220303X
ISBN-13	978-1-4422-0303-7 / 9781442203037
Zustand	Neuware