By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Patient Failed His Therapy, or Vice Versa?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Patient Failed His Therapy, or Vice Versa?
Medical EducationSpecialties

Patient Failed His Therapy, or Vice Versa?

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: May 3, 2014 8:00 am
DavidEWilliams
Share
2 Min Read
SHARE
Doctor-patient communication

Who failed?

Doctor-patient communication

Who failed?

The other day I heard a physician use a phrase I really don’t like. “The patient failed his therapy,” he said. Although I don’t want to be too picky about wording, I find that formulation to be quite disempowering and depressing for the patient.

Imagine a sick patient who tries a promising drug with the hopes of improving or being cured. It’s bad enough when a drug doesn’t work, but if the patient is made to think he’s failed as well that doesn’t seem very constructive. It would be more accurate and less threatening to say that the therapy failed the patient.

Going a step further, it might also be accurate to say “the physician failed the patient,” but I don’t think doctors would want to think of it that way!

Misattribution of blame is not unique to the heallthcare industry. Another example is provided by airlines, who are eager to avoid being faulted when they screw up. In recent years I’ve started to hear airline employees say, “the flight has cancelled,” making it sound somehow like the plane itself decided not to fly. A more accurate statement would be, “the airline canceled the flight.” Now they may have had their reasons, like bad weather, but even the most modern planes don’t cancel their own flights.

But back to healthcare, I hope physicians and other healthcare professionals will be more conscious of how the language they use affects how patients feel about themselves. It doesn’t mean walking on egg shells; instead it means trying to be empathetic, and soliciting constructive feedback from other members of the care team and patients and families themselves.

I don’t mean to make too big a deal of this. In fact, most physicians don’t use this “failure” terminology these days and I’m glad they don’t. 

photo credit: LifeSupercharger via photopin cc

TAGGED:doctor-patient communication
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Love, Marriage and Illness

June 27, 2012
SpecialtiesTechnology

Varicose Vein Treatment – EVLT Versus Sclerotherapy

March 19, 2018

Why One Navy Medical Officer Loves Family Medicine

June 6, 2011
Aesthetic Practitioner
SkinSpecialties

5 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Clients As An Aesthetic Practitioner

April 28, 2021
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?