The Ethical Obligations of a Consultation

<p>In this episode, Dr. Bobek and Dr. Wasson talk about what a surgeon owes a patient during a consultation. They cover the position you are put in when a patient arrives with a treatment plan you disagree with, how to say so without undermining the referring provider, and what patients can reasonably expect from an hour in a surgeon&#39;s office.</p><p><br></p><p>Topics covered in this episode:</p><p>- Why a consultation becomes a tightrope when the patient was referred for something you would not recommend</p><p>- Lower stakes in dentoalveolar practice: second molar implants, third molar referrals, grafting materials</p><p>- Taking the role of the bad guy so the referring provider keeps the relationship</p><p>- Why picking up the phone usually reveals a miscommunication rather than a disagreement</p><p>- How fast patients now relay your opinion back to the referring office, often before you can call</p><p>- Patients arriving with a specific request and expecting it executed, and what that asks of trust</p><p>- The cost of expansion before MMA, and the obligation to say plainly what it buys</p><p>- Asking a patient directly what their actual motivation for treatment is, and why they sometimes cannot articulate it</p><p>- Cases where bite, airway, and aesthetics align, and cases where correcting one works against another</p><p>- How much information is the right amount in a consult- Giving a contrasting opinion when the patient has already been told otherwise online</p><p>- Why disagreeing with a plan is the service being asked for- Judgment calls versus errors, and why a bad outcome from sound reasoning is not a mistake</p><p>- Research presented at the national meeting on pre-operative expectations predicting dissatisfaction</p><p>- Whether calling yourself a specialist in a condition carries an obligation to stay current on treatments you do not perform</p><p>- Conversion rates and billable chair time, and why both hosts refuse to track them</p><p>- Red flags from the patient side: absolutes, assembly line consults, and minutes with the actual surgeon</p><p><br></p><p>📬 Questions or topic suggestions: downfracturedpodcast@gmail.com</p><p><br></p><p>The Down Fracture Podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. All opinions expressed are solely those of the hosts and their guests.</p>