At one of our orientation sessions today, one of the panel members kept referring to people who see physicians as “clients,” but I’ve always been weary of the term, and terms like it. “Customers” or “clients,” to me at least, implies a level of economic or financial exchange, whereas “patients” implies some sort of medical exchange of knowledge or treatment. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you couldn’t be further from the truth. The concept of a “customer” or “client” implies that one person wants the services of another–my web design clients ask me to design their websites in exchange for money. A patient, on the other hand, is someone that needs the services of a physician–it’s not an option, it’s a necessity. I understand the usage of the “client” term to promote patient empowerment and satisfactory respect and treatment, but the other meanings of the word tend to blur and confuse the reason people see doctors–because they require care.

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