As a clinician Dr. Mailis Gagnon operates under the following principles:
Each patient should be treated as an individual and not as a number;
She treats a patient, not a "test result" or an X-ray (which means that the patient's clinical history, symptoms and clinical examination findings are more important than just the result of a test);
She never treats pain before she feels confident about the diagnosis;
She never asks for a test or investigation if a) she does not have a specific question and b) she does not know what to do with the possible answers;
She believes that the patient who does well with treatment is the one who is prepared to a) accept responsibility for improving his/her own health, b) has "realistic" expectations (to make the pain manageable and improve his/her quality of life, but does not expect the pain to disappear) and c) is prepared to acknowledge that "body and mind interact" (accepting that certain
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emotions and stressors may increase the pain experience, and is willing to address these emotional issues as well);
She offers each and every patient all her professional skills not only as a highly qualified pain physician but as a dedicated patient advocate and advisor, while at the same time she informs the patient she is not a "miracle worker."
She provides treatment to "all those who need her and not only to those who can afford her" (this is why she never accepted to move to the USA);
She treats all patients as equal irrespective of social status, ethnic origin, gender or religious beliefs and does not accept that patients should "jump the queue" because of status or connections;
She reserves the right to refuse to provide care to patients who are abusive, threatening or demeaning to herself or her staff.
She treats her patients with respect, but she also expects to be treated with respect in return.
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Clinical/Ethical Principles of Practice
Clinical/Ethical Principles of Practice
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Patient Advocate
Neuralgia
