Doctors in the eyes of the relatives of stroke patients: mutual understanding and relationship

The relatives of the patients presenting with acute cerebral circulation problems (ACCP) and admitted to a neurological department can form the opinion about the quality of the doctor’s work only based on the patients’ health status without regard for the professional skills and dedication of a given specialist; this fact can be attributed, among other things, to stress (a total of 76 subjects were interviewed). At the same time, those understanding the specific character of the medical profession are capable of highly appreciating the quality of the doctor’s work even in the case of an unfavourable outcome of the treatment. All the respondents who participated in the present study emphasized the necessity of the efficient communication with the attending doctor that is in our opinion one of the most important conditions indispensable for the creation of the normal working environment and the reduction of the psychic tension. The authors discuss the possible ways of cooperation between the doctor and the patient’s family with the purpose of reducing stress on the relatives, improving the quality of care and rehabilitative measures after the patient’s discharge from the hospital, and preventing the loss of emotional sensitivity by the doctors.

the doctor and the patient, opinions of the patient’s relatives, social practice, medical rehabilitation, loss ofemotional sensitivity by the doctors, medical philosophy, medical sociology, professional communication