Developing a "could not care less" attitude

Normally if you said that someone had a "could not care less" attitude it would be a bad thing.It would mean that they are slack and lazy.

But, there's one time where a "could not care less" attitude is an advantage and that's when you're presenting treatment options to patients.

If patients feel that you're trying to push them into a treatment option they become reluctant and skeptical.

Conversely, if you adopt a "could not care less" attitude and just give them impartial advice they become much more open. If you're totally fair in laying out their options, without pressuring them they become more likely to select the best treatment.

Pressuring people is totally counterproductive. It often has the opposite effect to what you intend. You feel that you are leading them in the right direction but sometimes all that does is to destroy their trust.It set's up a situation where you become a salesperson rather than their trusted advisor.

So my suggestion is this.Start every treatment discussion with patients with the following thought: "I'm going to lay things out clearly and fairly and then let the patient make their own choice.

"That will take the pressure off you and also allow patients to choose what's best for them.

If you do this you'll be surprised at how often patients select optimum treatment.