Question

Many primary care providers today are ‘talked into’ prescribing antibiotics when they are unnecessary simply to save patient satisfaction rates and reimbursement. You are the primary care provider for a patient with the rhinovirus. The patient has asked for an antibiotic to treat his or her symptoms and is not happy with your response. How would you explain the seriousness of unnecessary antibiotics to this patient, while attempting to preserve patient satisfaction?

Answer 1

Preventive care is most effective way for this type of infection... Antibiotics are suppretive agents so it's gives primary relief but their aftereffects are dangerous. So we can use symptomatic treatment like antihistamine , antiallergic and other home remedies to cure the patient more effectively...

As Rhinovirus (RV) Infections are nothing but the symptoms of common cold it needs rest and primary treatment such as hydration, nasal decongestants along with antihistamines as general health care practice i would suggest the same to the patient apart from the antibiotics. Common practice of home remedies would also be added on benefits for the faster recovery from the viral infections.
Rhinovirus (RV) infections are predominantly mild and self-limited; thus, treatment is generally focused on symptomatic relief and prevention of person-to-person spread and complications their is no roll of antibiotic as part of primary treatment . The mainstays of therapy includes, first-generation antihistamines, and nasal decongestants. In adults, evidence are their which shown that zinc decreases the duration of symptoms and severity. Antibacterial agents are not effective unless bacterial superinfection occurs. No antiviral agents are available to treat such infections. Inpatient care is rarely required. Persons with rhinovirus infections are almost universally treated as outpatients. Referral to an allergist is appropriate if the patient has chronic rhinitis that is unresponsive to environmental and pharmacologic intervention.
If still patient insist to prescribe the antibiotics then we need to do patient counselling and make them aware about the how harmful antibiotics may result in if they are taken unnecessarily. It would be of no use when they are actually needed to treat us for serious infections in future because if antibiotics are taken frequently then body would generate resistance to the same and would not show effect on to the body though higher dose of antibiotics administered later.
We should spread awareness about such type of harmful effects and also should make practice to avoid unnecessary medicines only for reimbursement benefits or to meet patient satisfaction. As patient health is more important that the money.
After the primary treatment still symptom's persists and no treatment is showing effect then only the last option should be use of antibiotics to cure is the right approach for any therapy.

this will ultimately result in patient satissatisfaction and cures the infection in proper way.