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Do the Personal Traits of Clinicians Affect Outcomes in Patients With Depression?
Question:
"What traits in us, the clinicians, affect outcomes in our depressed patients?"
This is a very well thought out question and I welcome the chance to engage in a dialogue with you and our other readers! We clinicians often talk about patient traits that affect depression outcomes, such as length of depression, number of previous episodes, etc. We also often talk about the capabilities of different pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments, such as how quickly do the interventions work, how effective is it, how does it compare to previous therapies, etc. These are, of course, extremely important questions to ask. But, what we tend to under discuss is what about us, the clinicians, as a variable in affecting patient outcomes. What personal traits, habits, and belief systems in us, the clinicians, affect our patients’ outcomes? Do you agree with me that this is often not discussed?
I am certain you have your own opinions on this issue, and I do too. A study by Schattner and colleagues1 examined the issue of which physician traits do patients desire in a ‘good physician.’ Traits patients reported as highly desirable include professional expertise, patience and attentiveness, informing the patient, representing a patient’s interests, being truthful, and respecting the patient’s preferences.
I think your question genuinely demands I offer you my own personal thoughts and beliefs on this issue. I will leverage my experiences as a physician, times when I was personally a patient, and the experiences of my family members when they were patients. I believe there are at least five traits in a clinician that lead to a better outcome. If I were suffering from depression today and went to see a clinician, these are the five traits I would want to see in her/him:
A Genuine Empathizer – Someone who extends themselves to patients, not just because they are patients, but a fellow human being who’s in pain. Many patients have reported the immediate comfort they feel with certain clinicians when they feel this genuine empathy emanate from the clinician.
A True Engager – Someone who wants to be a part of the solution to the patient’s problems, someone who will engage the patient’s support system in treatment, someone who realizes that depression is a tough disease to recover from on your own, and an engaged clinician is worth their weight in gold.
A Truly Honest Clinician – Someone who does not patronize their patients, nor do they harshly speak the truth. Someone who wisely wields the power that automatically comes with being a clinician. Honest, but not cruel. Honest, but not excessively blunt.
A Fine Educator – A clinician who recognizes that psychoeducation, if done well, is a gift that never stops giving. And, is willing to take the time to bequeath their patients the great gift of knowledge by talking to them, not ignoring them, educating them, and updating them to new developments in the treatment of depression.
A Realistic Optimist – A clinician who has a strong streak of optimism regarding their patient’s outcomes, even when things are looking very dark. Patients and family members derive strength and hope from clinicians and a good clinician is never stingy in offering it to them, but in a realistic way.
These are my thoughts regarding clinician traits that lead to good outcomes for their patients. I genuinely invite you to post your thoughts about this incredibly important, but often not discussed issue – that of clinician traits that affect our patients.
Thank you!
- Schattner A, Rudin D, Jellin N. Good physicians from the prospective of their patients. BMC Health Serv Res . 2004;4(1):26.
