When the doctor has a hard time saying no

CNN had an interesting article exploring the reasons why physicians can have a hard time saying no to patient requests, even when those requests could be harmful to the patient. One of the factors is time: it may simply be easier to give a patient what they ask for rather than have a conversation about why it is inappropriate. But sometimes, the requests are difficult to turn down because of the nature of the physician-patient relationship. The physician wants to help their patients by providing them the care they want. And physicians don't want to lose patients by denying requests.

Patients are expected to take an active role in their own health care and are increasingly treated like health care consumers. With increasingly informed patients, physicians need to have real discussions with their patients, even when the topic is uncomfortable. This means taking the time to discuss the real risks and benefits of treatments. And patients need to be willing to listen their physicians, even when the physician declines their request.