What annoys us? The patient's and doctor's view, EuHIC 2018 Berlin

“Tablets cannot fix complex health issues"

During EuHIC 2018 we will be hosting an informal, controversial and stimulating interactive debate titled 'What annoys us? The patient's and doctor's view'.

Dr. med. Christine Oesterling (below), a busy London-based GP representing doctors and healthcare professionals during our interactive lunchtime debate expresses that “Tablets cannot fix complex health issues. What is important is a good doctor-patient relationship. Patients often come with unrealistic expectations. Effective two-way communication and a willingness by the patient to take responsibility for their own health are pillars of this relationship”.

The healthcare journey can be long and painful. Those on the receiving end are sometimes heard to complain about long waiting times, poor communication, a lack of kindness and treatment episodes which did not go too well. Similar, clinicians speak about poorly-prepared patients who are rude and fail to follow instructions. Tensions can arise between colleagues and also with health service managers. How can we move forward in a positive spirit of cooperation? Could sharing experiences help us all understand each other better?

Ronny Allan (above) is representing patients and their relatives. Ronny is a patient himself, living with neuroendocrine cancer (give him a google!). His entertaining blog, based on his day-to-day experiences has helped many people in similar positions.

Our moderator will be Prof. Dr. med. Rajan Somasundaram (below), head of the emergency department at the Charite Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin and a widely-recognised specialist in hepatology and emergency care. Rajan is a great communicator and will try to keep order.

We invite you to bring your lunch and join this informal moderated debate. With such a multi-disciplinary audience, we are likely to hear a diverse range of views. This is not a ‘finger pointing’ exercise nor an opportunity to blame, but to increase understanding, one of our main aims at EuHIC!

For more information on this and the whole programme, visit the EuHIC website.