Do's and Don'ts for Doctors

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Don'ts for Doctors

Don’t withhold information, however, harsh and difficult, in seriously/ terminally ill patients. It must be conveyed with compassion and gradually, if time permits. The doctors and especially their assistants must train in the art of sensitive communication. It would be wise to take into confidence the family members, close relatives and friends, this would often make the acceptance easier and quicker.

Don’t leave at the moment of death. There is a tendency especially on the part of senior doctors to go away at this time when his presence and experience are most needed.
Don’t hesitate to extend your condolences and sympathies to the bereaved persons.Don’t forget to provide genetic counseling to couples and parents with known family history/ children having genetic abnormalities, e.g., Thalassemia, Hemophilia, etc.
Don’t issue death certificates unless you have yourself verified it.
Don’t divulge secrets you come to know during discharge of your professional duties. There are five exceptions to this general principle;
1. if the patient gives consent;
2. when it is undesirable on medical grounds to seek a patient’s consent;
3. the information is required by due legal process;
4. for the purposes of medical research, after obtaining permission from competent authority.

Don’t deny medical care to a patient with HIV infection/ AIDS. Observe all necessary precautions.
Don’t inform that the person is infected with HIV unless confirmatory test results are received.Don’t give untrue, misleading or improper reports, documents, etc.
Don’t refuse the patient’s right to examine and receive an explanation about your bill regardless of the source of payment; whether or not it is reimbursed by the government or by his employer/ insurance company.
Don’t refuse the patient’s right to know about the hospital rules and regulations.

Never talk loose of your colleagues, despite intense professional rivalry. Never criticise4 your brother in profession. The patient/ attendants may incite you to say/ do something. They may seek your comments on the other doctor’s treatment. There is always a polite way to set aside their comments and queries. Remember if you ha seen the case from the start you would have done the same. If your colleague has made an error of judgment regarding diagnosis or treatment, you never know under what circumstances this happened.