During their training, doctors are taught how to perform procedures, provide care, and understand all aspects of clinical medicine. But beyond technical skills and knowledge, it is essential that they also develop social and empathetic skills to provide humane patient care.
It is in this context that the doctor-patient relationship comes into play, essential for bringing the patient closer in a way that fosters trust in the doctor and encourages them to open up about their symptoms, offering more details about other aspects of their personal life that can contribute to the diagnosis and make it more accurate.
But while creating this bond and closeness with the patient is important, it is also necessary to understand the professional and ethical boundaries of this relationship.
In this article, you will understand what the doctor-patient relationship is, its importance, and its limitations.
What is the doctor-patient relationship?
The doctor-patient relationship is a bond built during consultations, examinations, and treatment, through trust and empathy between the two parties. This relationship aims to create a safe and welcoming space for the patient to share not only their symptoms, but also opinions, medical history, fears, and other personal issues.
From this, it is more likely that the anamnesis will be carried out more efficiently, the diagnosis will be developed more accurately, and the treatment applied will be more effective, since the doctor will have a more complete context of information and issues that may be involved in the patient's condition.
Furthermore, after diagnosis, adherence to treatment depends directly on this bond of trust. A patient who believes in the professional tends to follow medical advice with greater confidence and commitment.
What does the code of ethics say about the doctor-patient relationship?
The Medical Code of Ethics dedicates articles 31 to 42 of Chapter V to prohibited conduct for physicians in establishing and maintaining this relationship; in other words, they define the limits.
In general, the Code of Ethics determines that the limits of this relationship are based on respect for the patient's autonomy, preservation of professional confidentiality , and a commitment to acting in the patient's best interest and never to their detriment.
Among the practices prohibited by the Federal Council of Medicine are:
Article 31. Disregarding the right of the patient or their legal representative to freely decide on the execution of diagnostic or therapeutic practices, except in cases of imminent risk of death.
Article 41. To shorten the life of the patient, even at the request of the patient or their legal representative.
Article 40. Taking advantage of situations arising from the doctor-patient relationship to obtain physical, emotional, financial, or any other type of advantage.
Other points addressed by the Code of Ethics are mainly focused on medical responsibility, commitment to care, and certain regulations regarding medical marketing, patient exposure, and telehealth.
Medical ethics and the doctor-patient relationship
The doctor-patient relationship is an essential element for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, since it is from this relationship that trust is built between the two parties.
With this in mind, it is important for physicians to familiarize themselves with the concepts involved in medical ethics and the doctor-patient relationship, and to invest in providing support throughout all stages of the patient journey, promoting more positive experiences.
The information used to construct this article was obtained from the Medical Code of Ethics, updated to the date of publication, and is subject to change.
