Family physicians’ problems with patients and own limitations – a qualitative study

Background
Family physicians cooperate in the treatment process, not only with patients, but also with other medical professionals. There is no doubt that their psychological competency, such as communication skills and emotional intelligence, are just as important as their clinical experience.

Objectives
The aim of the present study was to identify the difficulties that family physicians encountered in working with patients, as well as with their work-related emotions.

Material and methods
A total of 36 physicians in the final year of specialisation in family medicine were engaged in the research.

Results
Family physicians reveal that dealing with aggressive patients, setting boundaries with patients and motivating them to treatment were the hardest for them in their work. There are specific psychological difficulties experienced by family physicians (e.g. helplessness of self-limitation, disharmony between experienced feelings and beliefs about the duty of a doctor, contradictory attitudes towards patient autonomy). The way to prepare for the professional role of a physician leads to the reinforcement of strict injunctions and prohibitions on the performance. Consequently, this leads to the development of ineffective strategies to build relationships with the patients and also deal with physicians’ own emotions.

Conclusions
The present study may be helpful for the development of a set of psychological tools useful for solving problems raised by the family physicians in the intra- and interpersonal area and during specialisation training.