Yoon-Hee Cha, MD

Patients and physicians are partners, partners who work towards keeping the patient healthy. This means that the physician respects the patient's autonomy and resources and that the patient respects the physician's time and advice. In a subspecialty, the most important goal of the initial appointment is to get the correct diagnosis. From there, treatment options can be made to maximize clinical outcomes. To be able to do this, both patient and physician need to work together to figure out the correct timeline of events and determine which symptoms are relevant to the diagnosis. This requires time, patience, and organization. Most medical problems can't be cured; most medical problems are managed. That management takes commitment from both patient and physician and often from allied health providers, family members, employers, and insurers. Fortunately, in neurotology and headache medicine, most problems can be managed effectively and lead to great a quality of life for the patients. That always comes through by everyone doing their part.