Empathic Young Doctor Empowers Patient
Elliot, although less skilled clinically than Dr. Cox, has insight into the patient that he lacks because of her own experiences.
Because of Elliot’s empathy (key point: teenaged girls have no control over their own lives), the patient reveals she is “so tired of people telling [her] what to do, when to be home, what to wear, when to take [her] medicine, …” and declares she can handle her own treatment.
Elliot builds rapport [note her forward leaning to signify interest in the patient] and then empowers patient by putting control of her medication in her hands. (Prescription will go to patient instead of parents; she will be in charge of getting and taking her Dilantin.)
Patient says “Thank you” to Elliot [and, one suspects, becomes 100% compliant and lives happily ever after]. Dr. Cox learns a valuable lesson from Elliot.
Upcoming: Commentary On The Scrubs Patient Compliance Subplot
