Personal medical touch more rare but not gone during Washington coronavirus epidemic

We’ve heard Gov. Jay Inslee quote President Franklin Roosevelt on several occasions in recent weeks, particularly to project a spirit of confidence and courage when highlighing that health recovery is vital for Washington’s economic recovery.

I also am an admirer of Roosevelt quotes, especially this one from President Teddy Roosevelt: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

I know this quote also represents the motivation of my colleagues and peers in the Washington State Medical Association. We’ve seen members stepping up across the board during this pandemic:

Dr. Anthony Chen, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and Dr. Kathy Lofy, Washington state health officer, are familiar and calming public-health voices in the midst of crisis.

Dr. Luke Hansen of Olympia took his emergency room skills straight to the heart of the pandemic in New York City.

Dr. Yuan-Po Tu of Everett led a successful study that refined research showing how a simple, patient-administered test can effectively and efficiently test for COVID-19 infections.

And as a frontline emergency room physician, Dr. Ryan Padgett of Kirkland nearly lost his life to COVID-19. He survived, in large part, due to the innovative and persistent care he received from his peers.

These stellar examples are but a few of the incredible and varied aspects of care our state’s physicians are providing.

True to our oath and calling, this connection — the physician/patient relationship — is the cornerstone of health care. It is built on trust, caring and compassion.

And at the heart of it all is the medical touch, the laying on of hands to comfort, diagnose and treat.

But with the circumstances of our times now, the medical touch is becoming rare. Patients’ very real fears in the time of COVID may cause them to delay accessing care while risking worse outcomes.

At the Washington State Medical Association, we stress the importance of patient-and-physician decision making. Through the “Know Your Choices – Ask Your Doctor,” “Choosing Wisely,” and “Honoring Choices PNW” programs, we urge patients to talk to their physicians about their care choices.

Even as we need to combat a virus by staying home right now, that doesn’t mean medical conversations should cease. No patient should be at home, in pain, weighing the risk of seeking treatment versus catching COVID-19.

Washington’s physician community has quickly adapted to telemedicine. We are hearing wonderful examples of how these visits improved the diagnosis process by providing a window into the patient’s private life.

One physician shared an example of a patient complaining of wrist pain. By having the patient play his cello during the visit, the physician was able to determine her patient was experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome.

In another case, a family medical physician was able to determine a child did not have appendicitis, thus saving the family an unnecessary trip to the emergency room.

Even though much in our lives has been put on hold, one thing that should not stop is managing your routine, chronic or urgent care.

Your physicians are standing by to offer the right care at the right time, in the right setting. For any health concerns you’re experiencing, call your doctor today.

Dr. William K. Hirota is a Tacoma gastroenterologist, a member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health and president of the Washington State Medical Assocation.

This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 12:00 PM.