Hasta-Hekim ‹liflkisinin Güncel Sorunlar› ve Kültürleraras› Yönleri: Bir Bak›fl

SUMMARY: The Current Problems and Cross-CulturalPerspectives of Patient-Doctor Relation: an Overview The success of the treatment in medicine, especially inpsychiatry is based on the form and the strength of thepatient-doctor relation. This complex and dynamic relationis changing in accordance with the social andtechnological development of the society. The context ofthe patient-doctor relation is determined by the presentday culture as well as the traditional background. Anoverview of current patient-doctor relation and ofproblems that physicians and in particular psychiatristsmeet is presented. Physicians have responsibilities inbuilding patient-doctor relation. The ethical and legalaspects of these responsibilities are presented. Theformer paternalistic type of patient-doctor relation isevolving into a more equal and democratic relation. Newproblems are being encountered continuously in thechanging process. Beside the of the process itself, theeffects of progress in medical technology andcommunication systems on patient-doctor relation andthe pressure, put from the insurance companies and/orauthorities on physicians, which impair the trust betweenthe physician and his patient, are making the processmore difficult. The issues of compliance, sexualharassment and unique problems of patient-doctorrelations in psychiatry are the other subtopics in thearticle. The cross-cultural aspects of patient-doctorrelations and encountered clinical problems are discussedwith case examples particularly about Turkish immigrants,who live in Germany. Suggestions for psychiatrists inGermany to work out the challenges facing them arepresented in the conclusion.