Can’t make patients do multiple choice

 Dr. Xu Jin, a pancreatic surgeon, has a saying that he often talks about: physicians should not let patients do multiple choice, we should do a good job of explaining the doubts. He believes that explanation work is the most effective way to “kill the doctor-patient conflict in the cradle”.  Dr. Xu Jin often says that patients have no direction and little knowledge of the disease after they become ill. Even with the Internet, patients have little knowledge of disease diagnosis and treatment. This lack of information between the physician at this time, if you can not effectively fill the position in a timely manner, easily lead to doctor-patient distrust, laying the “landmine” of doctor-patient conflict. For several years, the “doctor-patient conversation” throughout the entire treatment process has been a major feature of his medical practice for many years.  In the pancreatic surgery classroom, a physiological anatomy diagram of pancreatic cancer was posted on a mobile whiteboard. “Look, your father’s solid tumor is growing here.” Pointing to the anatomical diagram, Dr. Xu Jin said to a family member, “We will start from this place, but after resection, there are still some diffuse small lesions that need to be addressed by post-operative radiotherapy.” In response to the patient’s question about why chemotherapy was needed after surgery, Dr. Xu Jin just told the story. After a few explanations, the patient nodded his head repeatedly to show his understanding. As long as he is not the day of surgery, patients and family members will surround him to “ask this and that”, he will explain one by one patiently. Patient Chen’s 9-year-old grandson playfully calls him “a hundred thousand questions”.  Nowadays, in order to avoid doctor-patient disputes, some physicians talk to patients more often than not to list treatment options and rarely make choices for them. However, Dr. Xu will stand in the patient’s shoes and offer his own choice of treatment options for the patient’s reference.  He often says: “The patient is not an expert, which treatment plan is more suitable for him (her), only we doctors have the most say, we should be on the pros and cons of various treatment options, and the patient to clearly understand, and put forward their own constructive views, never because of the fear of responsibility and let the patient do the selection problem!  A Mr. Zhang, who came for a follow-up consultation, recalled his pre-operative conversation during his hospitalization with vivid memories. “First make three holes in your stomach, use laparoscopy to find the lesion, then through intraoperative radiotherapy, let the rays directly irradiate the tumor this way you have less trauma, faster recovery, and the effect of intraoperative radiotherapy is better than external irradiation. I think this surgery is more suitable for you. This is what Dr. Xu Jin said in his preoperative talk and my introduction. Mr. Zhang said: This easy-to-understand and vivid words made me understand my treatment instantly; more importantly, he also compared this new technology with the traditional technology and made the choice for me; otherwise, I don’t know myself and it is hard to choose.  The condition changes rapidly, so I feel solid with one more look. Every day, Dr. Xu Jin is either in surgery or outpatient clinic, and it always feels like he has an endless list of things to do. When patients or colleagues advised him to take a break, he always smiled and said, “Our pancreatic cancer surgery is very risky and the condition changes rapidly, so I will have one more pair of ‘eyes’ on the patient and take one more look, so I will be sure. …” The fact is indeed, in the ward, you can always find Dr. Xu Jin personally change the patient’s medication for drainage tubes, and even sleep in the ward to monitor critical patients. On weekdays, he tends to get off the operating table without bothering to eat a few bites of food, he rushes to the ward to visit his patients. “Dr. Xu has to run to my old man’s bedside several times a day,” said the daughter of the old man accompanying Li, with deep feelings: “Every day, he is watching him trotting all the way around the ward, many of our patients feel that he is really like an old bull.” Fifteen years of medical practice, for the key surgical critical patients in the ward, Dr. Xu Jin has developed the habit of checking every half hour.  In his pocket, a record of bed patient information book never leaves his body, as small as the number of urination change time and other details he has recorded. It is also this seriousness and responsibility, many patients just appear the first signs of complications, he was able to timely disposal, the first time to solve, thus avoiding the occurrence of serious complications.  He is easy to approach and treats people with sincerity, like a spring breeze, which brings him closer to his patients’ hearts and minds. Patients, more willing to see him as a relative; and he is more willing to become a lifelong friend with patients.