Doctors urged to learn to behave

By Shan Juan (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-16 09:30

Many Chinese doctors have poor bedside manner because they are not taught how to communicate with patients, experts say.

Huang Jianshi, dean of the Public Health School of the Peking Union Medical College, said many doctors do not adequately explain to patients the details of their condition or illness or about the medicines they have been prescribed.

He said the narrow scope of medical education is partly to blame.

"It focuses mainly on the biological side like how to handle certain disease technologically but largely neglects social, physiological, and communication impacts on medical services," he told the State Health Productivity and Scientific Development Forum in Beijing on Saturday.

Ke Yang, deputy director if the Peking University Health Science Center, said: "Most of the health experts in China feel incompetent facing and communicating with patents because they were not taught how."

Huang said patients tend to grade doctors on the examinations and drugs they prescribe.

That can lead to overuse of medications, which put unnecessary economic strain on patients and also abuse the nation's limited healthcare resources.

"Common cold patients in China would get angry if the doctor issues no drugs but a recommendation of having good rest and drinking more water."

Ke said that medicines and medical examinations are overpriced but doctors are underpaid for diagnosis and surgery.