Physician attitudes. Effect on the treatment of chemically dependent patients

Abstract

The primary care physician can provide effective early and long-term treatment for alcohol- or drug-abusing patients. He can play an important role in raising the diagnostic questions early and in referring the patient without rejection. If treatment is attempted, frustration can be minimized by providing a structure that helps the patient control his behavior. Other useful physician characteristics are flexibility about treatment approaches, a long-term view of the patient''s behavioral change and a mutual-participation physician-patient relationship with high feedback from the patient. Dysfunctional attitudes toward the chemically dependent patient lead to dysfunctional behavior in diagnosis and treatment, which are frequently translated into the frustration of treatment failures.