Human communication: the new essential skill in the Romanian medical system
Gabriela Florea, the only doctor in Romania with a PhD in "Medical Humanities," has issued an important warning regarding the current healthcare system. She argues that modern medicine has become too technical, often treating the patient as a mere machine that needs to be repaired part by part, ignoring the human side of the medical act.
The specialist emphasizes that, currently, a purely biomedical orientation is no longer sufficient to provide complete treatment. Although technology and procedures are vital, the success of the medical act depends largely on how the doctor interacts with the person who is suffering.
According to Gabriela Florea, effective and empathetic communication has become a "hard skill" – a mandatory technical competence for any medical professional. This ability involves not only conveying clinical information but also the capacity to listen actively and to guide the patient, as well as their family, in a humane and efficient manner.
This approach places emphasis on narrative, that is, on the personal story of each patient. Instead of focusing exclusively on symptoms and tests, doctors are encouraged to understand the emotional and social context of those they treat, in order to improve the quality of medical care.
In conclusion, integrating the humanities into medicine represents a necessary change for the healthcare system in Romania. Promoting a relationship based on understanding and dialogue between doctor and patient can contribute significantly to increasing trust in medical institutions and to achieving better results in the healing process.