The Value of Communication: Importance of Listening and Observation as a Physician Making Accurate Clinical Diagnosis

Communication is the art of conveying information between two or more parties. It necessitates listening to what others have to say and relying on keen observational skills to recognize nonverbal cues to come up with appropriate responses. This is particularly important in the medical field and epitomizes the doctor-patient relationship. In my experience as a physician, this relationship is fortified via communication. By communicating successfully with patients, they will develop trust and be open up to you. They may bring up seemingly disparate or irrelevant pieces of information about their life, but this information may actually be pivotal to finding the right diagnosis and best treatment option under the umbrella of that patient’s unique circumstances. Communication is also important between employees at any given workplace to ensure that their work operates with flow.

One day in 1992 at the Al-Midhnab Hospital, I was passing by the operating room and saw that nurses were taking a twenty-nine-year-old male patient to the operating room in a hurry. I asked the nurses about the case. They told me that it was a case of acute appendicitis that was nearing rupture, and the surgeon wanted immediate surgery to remove his appendix. However, upon observing the patient’s facial expression, it did not seem like he was suffering from acute appendicitis. To me, it seemed as if the patient was exaggerating the amount of pain, he was in. I interjected with the nurses and asked if I could examine the patient outside the operating room. I distracted the patient by conversing with him as I palpated his lower abdomen. I did not note any swelling or tenderness indicative of appendicitis. If it was appendicitis, the patient would have shrieked in pain. I informed him that he did not have appendicitis and told him that having an appendectomy may cause further unnecessary complications. He opened up to me and informed me that he had an argument with his girlfriend on the telephone and developed abdominal pain soon after that.

My diagnosis was a hysterical conversion reaction that manifested itself as abdominal pain. I informed the surgeon, writing very clearly on the patient’s chart that no surgical intervention was required. I admitted the patient under internal medicine and my supervision. I treated him with valium through slow IV fluid injection and advised routine lab tests to exclude any other illness. The next day, I provided relaxation and behavioral therapy and discharged the patient in good health.

I used my strong observational skills in a matter of a few seconds to rule out acute appendicitis and prevent unnecessary surgery. By using communication as a distraction, I observed his response to the palpation of his lower abdomen and noted no tenderness. As a leader, it is important not only to listen to what others have to say, but to recognize their nonverbal cues, the expression on their faces, and the tone of their voices to make well-informed decisions moving forward. The surgeon was not happy, but I took responsibility and did what was best for the patient. It was also a tough decision, but my intuition and observational skills led me to take appropriate action.

Reference: My published award-winning book entitled: “Unlocking the Natural-Born Leader’s Abilities: An Autobiographical Expose” published by Xlibris dated March 24, 2017, from chapter 6 “Cultivation of My Natural-Born Leader Qualities subtitle “Communication: Importance of Listening and Observation” page 83-84.