Author(s): Ron Paterson

Medicine | New Zealand

What makes a good doctor? Are there really bad doctors out there? If so, how can we patients protect ourselves? Can more information, more trust and more assured competence be injected into the medical system to solve these problems? Drawing on his years of dealing with patient concerns, former Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson tackles these important questions and makes some challenging arguments: that patients don't demand the sort of information about doctors that they should; that doctors who feel put upon by information overload, patient demands, complaints and growing requirements from employers, colleges, medical boards and government, will be resistant to any additional regulation of their activity; that doctors are reluctant to judge problem doctors and prefer the 'quiet chat'; and that current law and practice is lax when it comes to checking that doctors remain up-to-date. Paterson concludes with proposals to lift the veil of secrecy, to inform patients better and to revalidate doctors periodically, all key ways we might improve patient care. The Good Doctor will be essential reading for doctors, patients, health advocates and policymakers alike - all of us determined to make sure patients get the medical care they deserve.