Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The hidden dangers of prioritizing patient happiness

Myles Gart, MD
Physician
February 7, 2024
Share
Tweet
Share

The concept of patient-centered care has become pervasive in the health care industry over the last decade. However, as a health care provider, I often wonder if this approach is truly effective in improving patient outcomes and satisfaction. With the continuous emphasis on patient-centered care, I can’t help but question if it is actually a fallacy disguised as a solution.

In the past, patients had a strong relationship with their physicians, who took the time to understand their concerns and provide personalized care. However, with the increasing demands for increased patient volume and electronic medical record documentation, this relationship has significantly deteriorated. Patients are now referred to multiple specialists, often with little coordination and education on how all the pieces of their health puzzle fit together. This fragmented care has resulted in unnecessary tests, duplicated appointments, and ultimately, a decrease in overall health outcomes.

Patient-centered care places the responsibility of self-management on the patient, expecting them to play an “active” role in their care. However, in cases such as acute illnesses like sepsis or appendicitis, how feasible is this expectation? Should patients resort to Google to research their conditions and discuss treatment options with their care team?

Furthermore, patient-centered care is often viewed as a form of value-based care, with governmental agencies and insurance companies using it as a proxy for quality. While satisfaction is undoubtedly important, it should not be the sole determiner of quality care. As health care providers, we are here to heal, not to cater to the whims and desires of our patients like a hotel or restaurant. The focus should be on treating the condition, not just making the patient and their family “satisfied.”

We must also acknowledge the negative consequences of solely adhering to patient satisfaction. The current opioid crisis is a glaring example of this. Patient satisfaction surveys have led to increased opioid prescribing to alleviate pain, despite the known risks of addiction and harm. This is just one of many examples where patient-centered care has led to detrimental outcomes.

In reality, patient-centered care may not be the solution we thought it was. It often leads to fragmented care, devaluation of medical expertise, and a disregard for evidence-based treatment. It is time for us to reconsider this approach and shift the focus back to providing high-quality, evidence-based care rather than simply satisfying patients’ desires.

In conclusion, the fallacy of patient-centered care is apparent. As health care providers, our priority should always be on treating the patient’s condition with the best possible care. We must not let patient satisfaction surveys dictate our treatment decisions. Instead, we should use our medical expertise to provide effective and efficient care to our patients. Let us abandon the fallacy of patient-centered care and focus on our true goal – healing.

Myles Gart is an anesthesiologist.

Prev

Unleash your healing superpower: Sorting emotions in health care

February 7, 2024 Kevin 0
…
Next

The surprising truth on how to avoid postpartum depression

February 7, 2024 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Anesthesiology

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Unleash your healing superpower: Sorting emotions in health care
Next Post >
The surprising truth on how to avoid postpartum depression

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Myles Gart, MD

  • Cutting opioid use in half: a hospital’s pain management breakthrough

    Myles Gart, MD
  • The burden of shadowing and volunteering in medical school admissions: a hurdle, not a measure of commitment

    Myles Gart, MD
  • How objective pain management can save lives and prevent addiction

    Myles Gart, MD

Related Posts

  • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

    Meghan Sheehan, MD
  • 5 hidden consequences of chronic pain

    Toni Bernhard, JD
  • Medication management and how consultant pharmacists can help

    Michael R. McGuire
  • A universal patient medical record

    Michael R. McGuire
  • Osler and the doctor-patient relationship

    Leonard Wang
  • A patient imagines a conversation with Alexa

    R. Lynn Barnett

More in Physician

  • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • Why judgment is hurting doctors—and how mindfulness can heal

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Why evidence-based management may be an effective strategy for stronger health care leadership and equity

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • The gift we keep giving: How medicine demands everything—even our holidays

    Tomi Mitchell, MD
  • From burnout to balance: a neurosurgeon’s bold career redesign

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Why working in Hawai’i health care isn’t all paradise

    Clayton Foster, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
    • Would The Pitts’ Dr. Robby Robinavitch welcome a new colleague? Yes. Especially if their initials were AI.

      Gabe Jones, MBA | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean

      Cheryl Spang | Finance
    • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why testosterone matters more than you think in women’s health

      Andrea Caamano, MD | Conditions
    • A mind to guide the machine: Why physicians must help shape artificial intelligence in medicine

      Shanice Spence-Miller, MD | Tech
    • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • How veteran health care is being transformed by tech and teamwork

      Deborah Lafer Scher | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
    • Would The Pitts’ Dr. Robby Robinavitch welcome a new colleague? Yes. Especially if their initials were AI.

      Gabe Jones, MBA | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean

      Cheryl Spang | Finance
    • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why testosterone matters more than you think in women’s health

      Andrea Caamano, MD | Conditions
    • A mind to guide the machine: Why physicians must help shape artificial intelligence in medicine

      Shanice Spence-Miller, MD | Tech
    • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • How veteran health care is being transformed by tech and teamwork

      Deborah Lafer Scher | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

The hidden dangers of prioritizing patient happiness
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...