Viewpoint: Doctors' pulpit should be compassion and patience, not pandemic anger
A year ago, my wife and I contracted COVID-19. In retrospect, it was a mild case at a time when many Americans, including friends and relatives, succumbed prematurely to this virus. For nearly two years, the pandemic has raged, claiming more than 5 million lives worldwide and over 760,000 American lives.
As I am talking to colleagues on the front lines, what emerges as a common thread, other than emotional and physical chronic fatigue, is anger. Anger is an emotion many of us physicians deny, avoid, even condemn. Yet, these days we are tempted to join the ever-increasing ranks of the angry and frustrated.
Dr. Greg Henry, a noted emergency room physician, said that “passion and anger are different. The first one draws you to greatness, the second poisons the soul.” And it is indeed our passion to prevent or cure this scourge that drives the best and most tolerant of us to anger. We are angry at the unvaccinated, who die unnecessarily. We are angry at the unvaccinated, who crowd our ICUs, reducing access of very ill non-COVID patients to these precious facilities. We are angry at political considerations, misinformation and myths that prevent effective containment of this calamity. We are angry at false prophets within our ranks and “internet experts” among the lay population who poison the progress we are trying to achieve with vaccinations to put an end to this COVID-19 nightmare.
What I personally learned in 33 years of medical practice is that the remedy for disinformation and noncompliance is patience and compassion, not anger. How do I approach the vaccine-hesitant pregnant patient, frightened about possible adverse effects of the vaccine on her baby? By presenting scientific data calmly, without preaching. There is no evidence that the vaccine causes miscarriages or birth defects, or that it harms fertility, I say. There is, however, ample evidence that getting infected with COVID-19 in the third trimester may pose serious risk to the mother’s life and to her baby. Some people may listen, some won’t. Those who won’t, however, may not be swayed by an angry sermon.
Medical ethics include the principles of patient autonomy, justice, beneficence and non-maleficence. The latter means “do no harm.” Autonomy and justice are the patient’s right to make informed decisions without bias. Beneficence obligates the physician to do good, to heal, to soothe. These tenets we must respect above anger.
What do I do with my pandemic anger? I give objective, scientific data to my patients to consider. Despite the current distrust of the medical profession, many patients will listen and heed my advice. Physicians are at the top of the list of trusted professionals. They are more than twice as trusted as clergy, according to recent surveys.
Our pulpit, therefore, should be compassion and patience and rational delivery, not anger.
Dr. Eli Reshef practices medicine in Oklahoma City.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Viewpoint: Respond to COVID-19 disinformation with patience, not anger
