Weird question

[mercaptovizadeh]

How deep of a relationship do most heme-onc doctors develop with their patients? By this, I mean to what degree do you develop an emotional connection with someone who has a very serious diagnosis, and particularly when things go south and they're in the terminal phases. Do you attend wakes and funerals? Do patients respond well and embrace a personal element to their care or do they just want a professional who when the job is done (as far as can be done) recedes from the picture?

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[TKib]

While not commonplace, most oncologists have probably been invited to/attended a few patient funerals. I think the relationship is somewhat closer than most other medical fields, but there is still your typical professional separation. Oncologists are probably somewhat more likely to give out their emails and cellphones to patients. In many settings, the patient will actually see their assigned chemo nurse, etc. more frequently than the doctor.

 

[gutonc]

How deep of a relationship do most heme-onc doctors develop with their patients? By this, I mean to what degree do you develop an emotional connection with someone who has a very serious diagnosis, and particularly when things go south and they're in the terminal phases. Do you attend wakes and funerals? Do patients respond well and embrace a personal element to their care or do they just want a professional who when the job is done (as far as can be done) recedes from the picture?

Everybody, patient and physician, is going to be different. I like to think that I have good relationships with all of my patients. But I have more emotional connections with some of my patients compared to others and can imagine going to their memorials/funerals/whatevers if invited. OTOH, I have some patients who come in, get their exam, get their chemo, go home and that's pretty much it.

I'm supportive of any approach (as long as they don't threaten my physical safety and are nice to my staff...these are not always the case). I can't really imagine what I'd do in their shoes so any relatively rational approach that my patients take to our relationship is fine with me.

 

[ukdoc74]

How deep of a relationship do most heme-onc doctors develop with their patients? By this, I mean to what degree do you develop an emotional connection with someone who has a very serious diagnosis, and particularly when things go south and they're in the terminal phases. Do you attend wakes and funerals? Do patients respond well and embrace a personal element to their care or do they just want a professional who when the job is done (as far as can be done) rec
edes from the picture?

Interesting question.

Why do you ask?