Sometimes saying "no" to patients isn't so easy. Physicians disagreeing with patients' demands for medications or specific treatment plans may result in poor satisfaction ratings or bad online reviews, according to Medscape.
Here are four strategies to say "no" to patients while keeping them happy.
1. If you're telling a patient "no," offer an explanation with the refusal. Explain to the patient why ordering an MRI isn't the right step, for example.
2. Offer to consider a patient's request, and truly listen to the reasoning. If you still disagree, offer a good alternative, so the patient doesn't feel slighted.
3. Try to understand why the patient is requesting something. If you're able to identify the root goal, then you'll be able to offer a comparable alternative.
4. Negotiate with the patient, finding the best treatment that satisfies the patient while aligning with your medical knowledge.
Some physicians disagreed with the strategies, arguing medicine shouldn't be a popularity contest. Others argued the healthcare system encourages overprescribing. Many physicians believe saying "no" doesn't need to be backed up by anything — they're the physicians, not the patients.