August 30, 2018 | 1 min read

The Importance and Psychology of Facial Expression

By Patrick Byrne, MBA, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Carefully noting your patient's facial expression consciously helps you "be" with your patient more effectively, to meet them where they are in their emotional state.

February 14, 2023 | 3 min read

Caring For Patients by Listening

By Shari Lawson, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Treat every patient with respect and address all their concerns.

November 11, 2022 | 2 min read

Is that so?

By Sarah Radtke, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Patients and families may share experiences that we feel are inaccurate, improbable, or impossible. Discussing their statements nonjudgmentally helps to form trusting relationships.  

July 11, 2023 | 5 min read

Partial Listening is Partial Medicine

By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington

Sometimes we hear only what we're listening for, and if we divide attention, we can miss critical information. We must strive to Iisten with the "third ear" to hear not only what's said, but also what's unsaid. 

July 5, 2023 | 3 min read

What brought you in today?

By Hailey Haffey, PhD, University of Utah

Asking my patients open-ended questions about how they physically traveled to the appointment can reveal important information.

February 4, 2021 | 2 min read

The Clinician as Patient

By Neha Pidatala, MD, New York, New York

When you’re a patient, use your medical knowledge to clearly communicate your goals of care. When treating a patient who works in healthcare, consider their unique perspective to facilitate meaningful discussions.

May 18, 2022 | 3 min read

A Matter of Interpretation

By Kathleen Page, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Practice, preparation, and intentionality are essential to mastering medical skills, including how to communicate effectively with an interpreter. 

July 21, 2025 | 5 min read

Listening past the barriers 

When caring for veterans in civilian healthcare settings, recognize that stoicism, brief answers, or emotional distance often reflect military culture—not disengagement. Building trust starts with patience and listening, opening the door to better understanding and care. 

November 13, 2019 | 4 min read

The Art of Scaffolding Conversations

By Robert Trevino, MD, PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin

Scaffolding when communicating is meeting the other person where they are in their understanding. This is essential for healthcare discussions to best meet the needs of our patients.

August 11, 2020 | 3 min read

Insights From Practicing Telemedicine

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

To make the most of video visits, stay attuned to your patients' nonverbal cues and avoid any background distractions in your environment.

November 21, 2022 | 3 min read

The Angry Daughter

By Bill Bachman, MD, Albany Medical College

When working with patients or loved ones who are confrontational, recognize your own feelings, try to understand theirs, and know when to ask for help from colleagues. 

June 10, 2020 | 2 min read

6 Lessons Learned From One Month as a Journalist

By Heather Kagan, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinicians—like journalists— must communicate in an open and straightforward manner.

August 22, 2019 | 3 min read

Leveraging Your Patient’s Strength

By Keri Bischoff, MA, WellBeing Coach partnering with Johns Hopkins

Excellent clinicians discover their patients talents to best deliver both recommendations and personalized care.

December 3, 2020 | 4 min read

The Other Side of the Glass

By Michelle Sharp, MD, MSH, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Having a loved one in the ICU is one of the hardest things someone can experience. Timely and compassionate communication from clinicians to families is invaluable.

January 11, 2022 | 1 min read

How to Share Disappointing News

By Simone Lescott, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When sharing bad news with patients, acknowledge their response and validate their emotions. Allow for time to address concerns and answer questions.    

August 6, 2019 | 2 min read

3 Lessons From Your Patient’s Impatience

By Iro Filippaki, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The excellent clinician acknowledges their patient's impatience and frustration. In doing so, relationships with patients and clinical outcomes may be improved.

May 4, 2020 | 2 min read

Connecting With Teens Via Telemedicine

By Michelle Munson, LMSW, PhD, Nadia Jenefsky, MPS, LCAT

Suspending judgement is critical to building a trusting relationship, especially with teens.

April 7, 2020 | 3 min read

The Personal Responses Tour in Medical Education

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Arts-based medical education improves fundamental clinical skills, including ambiguity tolerance, reflective ability, bias awareness, and empathy. It can also enhance the well-being of healthcare professionals.

June 22, 2018 | 2 min read

Ars Medica: The Art of Medicine

By Javier de la Maza, MD, Johns Hopkins University

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to shape our reality and reconnect with our patients. Building meaningful relationships with our patients reminds us the importance of the human experience in providing clinically excellent care.

June 8, 2023 | 3 min read

The Swiss Army Knife

By Cory Rohlfsen, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Sometimes clinicians’ wellspring of empathy runs dry. Unfolding a few simple tools—like mirroring patients’ nonverbal communication—can improve therapeutic relationships and allow us to provide compassionate care even when we are not at our best.

June 20, 2024 | 2 min read

Don’t touch me 

While caring for a patient who was agitated, I witnessed the power of communicating gently and compassionately. In helping a patient to feel safe and respected, healthcare professionals can gain a more complete understanding of patients’ needs. 

February 18, 2020 | 3 min read

4 negotiating tips from “Never Split the Difference”

By Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

We regularly negotiate with patients en route to shared decision making. Tips from Voss' book "Never Split the Difference" can improve your communications with patients.

September 28, 2020 | 2 min read

Practicing the Art of Listening

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Listening is essential for humanistic patient care. Listening without interrupting may strengthen the patient-clinician relationship.

September 17, 2020 | 3 min read

5 Tips for Talking About Autopsy Results With Your Patient’s Family

By J. Stephen Nix, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Managing loved ones’ expectations before the autopsy is critical. Ensuring there's ample time to privately review and explain the results can help bring meaning and closure to their loss.

January 20, 2021 | 3 min read

How to Repair Patient-Clinician Relationships

By Shara Nauth, MD, Western University, Ontario, Canada

To rebuild a patient-clinician relationship, apologize and acknowledge your patient’s feelings.

February 28, 2023 | 1 min read

Mitigating social isolation

By Mfon Umoh, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

All medical specialties need to screen for isolation. Asking patients who their social supports are and who they feel close to is a good starting point.  

October 1, 2020 | 3 min read

3 Tips to Improve Your Body Language

By Adam Koenig, Medical Student, University of Toledo

To build a strong patient-clinician relationship, position your body with an open posture and make good eye contact.

February 27, 2018 | 2 min read

On Discrimination, Transparency, and Mutual Respect

By Anika Hines, PhD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Patients' past experience with discrimination may influence how they interact with you. Acknowledging this may improve communication and patient care.

April 13, 2022 | 2 min read

The Role of Disclosure in Medicine

By Rebekah Fenton, MD, Northwestern University

Carefully considered clinician self-disclosure can forge a more personal connection between patients and healthcare professionals.     

August 2, 2021 | 1 min read

How to Support Patients Facing an Upsetting Diagnosis

By Steve Kravet, MD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

In medicine, we often inform patients of new diagnoses that are life-altering—sometimes overwhelmingly so. At these times, we must show empathy and check-in frequently with them.

January 12, 2021 | 2 min read

6 ways to engage families to support child mental health

By Barbara Robles, MD, University of Texas

Strong relationships with clinicians can empower children and their families to engage more fully in their mental health treatment.

January 5, 2021 | 5 min read

Seeing and Healing Social Isolation

By Katherine Otto Chebly, MD, New York University

Social isolation and loneliness are established risk factors for disease and early death. Routinely asking about patients about their social support system (or lack thereof) allows us to give more effective care.

January 4, 2021 | 2 min read

No Patient is an Island

By Biosha Jones, MD, Loma Linda University

Acknowledging and engaging with patients’ support system in the clinic or hospital may improve health outcomes.

January 24, 2023 | 2 min read

Blueberry Bushes

By Marcus Maier, PA, University of Wisconsin-Madison

A patient’s main concern is sometimes not medical. It can be helpful to ask, “Is there anything we didn’t cover that you’d like to talk about?”  

March 29, 2022 | 1 min read

Connecting in Silence

By Shahzara Malik, medical student, Mohammed Bin Rashid University, Dubai, UAE

Sometimes the best way for a clinician to convey empathy is through non-verbal communication. 

May 28, 2025 | 2 min read

A shared decision to cancel a colonoscopy  

Providing holistic care often involves deviating from the standard of care to honor the patient’s preferences. 

October 25, 2023 | 2 min read

Purple Rain

By Aurora Grutman, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

I observed my attending physician connect with a patient over a popular Prince song. From this encounter, I learned the power of discovering a person’s passions.

March 7, 2022 | 3 min read

How to Help Patients Navigate Complex Medication Regimens

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Open-ended questions can help clinicians better understand the challenges faced by patients on complex medication regimens.   

July 16, 2020 | 3 min read

Being Human

By Kamala Tamarisa, MD, Southlake, Texas

When you notice that something is amiss with a patient or your reaction to them feels off, this is a clue to dig deeper. With time and enhanced trust in the doctor-patient relationship, things usually become clear.

October 16, 2019 | 2 min read

How to Show Empathy When Patients Express Anger

By Zainab Obaidi, MBBS, Johns Hopkins Medicine

There are strategies that can be used effectively when patients express anger.

November 30, 2022 | 2 min read

Anger

By Joanne Shay, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When patients or loved ones express anger, honest and sincere communication may help address their feelings and underlying concerns. 

October 3, 2019 | 4 min read

The Fault in our EHRs

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

The clinically excellent clinician makes an effort to know each patient’s unique story, moving beyond the confines of the content within the EHR.

July 28, 2020 | 4 min read

Transitional Objects During Physical Isolation

Encourage patients to identify items that remind them of people and places that they love but cannot be near right now. This may help ease feelings of loneliness and longing.

July 12, 2018 | 1 min read

Storytelling in Medicine

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

The ability to learn your patient’s story from their words is the essential skill for developing a comprehensive understanding. This is crucial for accurate diagnosis and for establishing a therapeutic bond with each patient.