Healthcare Social Media and Updates

Physician's Cancer Missed Due to Medical Gaslighting

What happens when a physician becomes the victim of medical gaslighting? They almost die. In a recent episode of The Podcast by KevinMD, neurologist Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor shared a story that exposes a massive crack in our medical system. Dr. Taylor went to her gynecologist of 20 years with postmenopausal bleeding. Her doctor, who was days away from retiring and closing her practice, was too busy to investigate properly. Instead of referring her out or doing the necessary procedures, she told Dr. Taylor her symptoms were "just stress" and told her to come back in a year. Dr. Taylor is a physician. She knew she wasn't stressed. She listened to her intuition, sought care at an academic institution, and was immediately diagnosed with endometrial cancer. If she had waited that year, she likely would not have survived. Medical gaslighting is an epidemic, particularly for women and the elderly. Dr. Taylor points out that this is rarely born out of malice. It comes from a broken culture. Doctors are severely crunched for time, buried in electronic medical records, and exhausted. When they cannot figure out a complex problem quickly, it is far too easy to dismiss the patient as anxious or stressed. But the subtle nonverbal cues like a sigh, a smirk, or a rushed exit make patients feel small. It makes them stop asking questions. We have to change this dynamic. Patients: Your intuition is valid. If you feel a whisper in your mind that something is wrong, do not ignore it. Demand a second opinion. Physicians: We must remember the power of our words and our body language. It is okay to say "I do not know, let me refer you to someone who might." We have to bridge the gap between curing and healing. You can find the link to this recent episode in the comments. It is a must-listen for both medical professionals and patients. #MedTwitter #MedicalGaslighting #PatientAdvocacy #Healthcare #WomensHealth #KevinMD #PhysicianBurnout #MedEd