Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Professionalism in the Approach to the Patient

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Breast Surgical Techniques and Interdisciplinary Management

  • 2557 Accesses

Abstract

Medical professionalism has been defined as a set of values, behaviors, and relationships that underpin the trust the public has in doctors and is the basis of medicine’s contract with society. It means not just knowing how to do your job, but demonstrating a willingness to learn, cooperate and get along with others, showing respect, and living up to commitments. It also means avoiding many kinds of behaviors that cause trouble in the workplace. It may be lacking in individuals with extensive training, high status, and significant financial resources. The American College of Surgeons’ Task Force on Professionalism found that professionals possess four core characteristics: specialized knowledge, relative autonomy in practice and the privilege of self-regulation, altruistic service to individuals and society, and responsibility for maintaining and expanding professional knowledge and skills.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Doctors in society Medical professionalism in a changing world. London: Royal College of Physicians of London. 2005. http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/pubs/books/docinsoc/. Accessed 20 Jan 2009.

  2. Medical Professionalism Project. Medical professionalism in the new millennium: a physicians’ charter. Lancet. 2002;359(9305):520–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gruen RL, Arya J, Cosgrove EM, et al. Professionalism in surgery. J Am Coll Surg. 2003; 197(4):605–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lill MM, Wilkinson TJ. Judging a book by its cover: descriptive survey of patients’ preferences for doctors’ appearance and mode of address. BMJ. 2005;331(7531):1524–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Harris SR, Templeton E. Who’s listening? Experiences of women with breast cancer in communicating with physicians. Breast J. 2001;7(6):444–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Katz SJ, Lantz PM, Janz NK, et al. Patient involvement in surgery treatment decisions for breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(24):5526–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Schofield PE, Butow PN, Thompson JF, Tattersall MH, Beeney LJ, Dunn SM. Psychological responses of patients receiving a diagnosis of cancer. Ann Oncol. 2003;14(1):48–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Dowsett SM, Saul JL, Butow PN, et al. Communication styles in the cancer consultation: preferences for a patient-centred approach. Psychooncology. 2000;9(2):147–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Guadagnoli E, Ward P. Patient participation in decision-making. Soc Sci Med. 1998;47(3):329–39.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. O’Connor AM, Stacey D, Entwistle V, et al. Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003;(2):CD001431.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Whelan T, Sawka C, Levine M, et al. Helping patients make informed choices: a randomized trial of a decision aid for adjuvant chemotherapy in lymph node-negative breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003;95(8):581–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hawley ST, Lantz PM, Janz NK, et al. Factors associated with patient involvement in surgical treatment decision making for breast cancer. Patient Educ Couns. 2007;65(3):387–95.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Morrow M, Venta L, Stinson T, Bennett C. Prospective comparison of stereotactic core biopsy and surgical excision as diagnostic procedures for breast cancer patients. Ann Surg. 2001; 233(4):537–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Loprinzi CL, Hayes D, Smith T. Doc, shouldn’t we be getting some tests? J Clin Oncol. 2000; 18(11):2345–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Northouse LL, Swain MA. Adjustment of patients and husbands to the initial impact of breast cancer. Nurs Res. 1987;36(4):221–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Northouse LL, Jeffs M, Cracchiolo-Caraway A, Lampman L, Dorris G. Emotional distress reported by women and husbands prior to a breast biopsy. Nurs Res. 1995;44(4):196–201.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Feldman BN, Broussard CA. Men’s adjustment to their partners’ breast cancer: a dyadic coping perspective. Health Soc Work. 2006;31(2):117–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Anne Burnett Windfohr Chair of Clinical Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Martin J. O’Sullivan

Authors
  1. Martin J. O’Sullivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Monica Morrow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin J. O’Sullivan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Middle Ave. 1285, Menlo Park, 94025, California, USA

    Frederick Dirbas

  2. Iowa City, USA

    Carol Scott-Conner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

O’Sullivan, M.J., Morrow, M. (2010). Professionalism in the Approach to the Patient. In: Dirbas, F., Scott-Conner, C. (eds) Breast Surgical Techniques and Interdisciplinary Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6076-4_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6076-4_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-6075-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-6076-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation