“Explanation, discussion and communication are the key answer to anything,” said Dr. Asokananda Konar, President, Medicon International.

“You should always have the time to discuss the needed information with your patients. You can say what the outcome of the situation is,” he said.

“Another thing must be stated that there should be clear diagnosis so that a clear vision could be given to the patients. You need to explain the scenario of the disease to the patients and families,” he said.

“Once the patient has confidence in you then you can tell him about the test you need to do so that once the diagnosis is clear then you can give a clear verdict to him,” he said.

Medicon International Organising  Secretary Dr. Ajoy Krishna Sarkar pointed out the need to develop trust between doctors and patients.

“Things may be getting worst these days due to lack of proper trust and not getting knowledge properly. We need to create trust between doctors and patients. As a doctor, we need to have the responsibility as well and that we do not do anything that will break the trust.”

Dr. Debasis Datta, organising sectary, said: “I personally feel that communication and time are the two major issues. It is a two-way process. We need to try to create a good relationship between patients and doctor. The society in general need to understand that we need each other.”

“From the media point of view, it is also important to highlight that all doctors are not bad,” he said.

Prof Derek Bell, President of Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, who will deliver the ‘second Prof Shyamal Sen Memorial Oration’,  also spoke on the need of better communication between doctor and patients.

“We need to make sure that the doctor and patient relationship remains to be special,” he said.

He said working in ‘partnership’ with the patients is needed.

Prof Mervyn Singer, an authority on critical care, from University College of London, said: “You need to work with the body of the patient and using the physiology more to have a more logical approach.”

He said that India is advancing rapidly in medical healthcare.

“There is amazing thrust for knowledge among medical professionals and they are open to embracing challenges and new developments in the field,” he said.

Medicon International Patron Dr. Sujit Kar Purkayastha, expressed his views on the issue of self medication and said the practice is not ‘good’.

“You should not become a doctor and prescribe  their own medicine,” he said.

With an aim to promote high impact learning in the field of general broad-based medicine in India and the recent advances made in the sector by eminent medical professionals both from India and United Kingdom in their fields of expertise, the two-day Medicon International conference commenced in Kolkata on Friday.

This is the sixth edition of the annual event which is widely accepted by medical fraternity.

This conference is being organised jointly by Peerless hospital and BK Roy Foundation, Kolkata with Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh and West Bengal Chapter of Association of Physicians of India.