March 17 is celebrated as Doctor Patient Trust Day. This is the day which is dedicated to honoring the trust that forms the cornerstone of health- care system. The trust of the patient in his doctor is of immense importance. If the patient trusts their doctor, they can be more honest with them and will provide information, which will help doctor treat them better. For this they need to feel non-judgmental. It’s a working relationship, that is reliable, effective & durable.
The four pillars of doctor patient relationship are Trust, knowledge, regard & loyalty. Trust is developed when patients find a doctor- Authentic (the real you), logic (They have faith in your judgement & competence) & empathy (They feel, you care about them)
In our country the same trust has to be extended to the family, as our families take active part in looking after the patients.
As far as mental health is concerned, there are so many myths in the society, that doctor patient relationship becomes all the more important. So, this day in my opinion is the most important day & should be celebrated as much as it can.
Dr HK Bedi
MD Psychiatry
M-8054088993. Email- [email protected]
