July 17, 2024 | 1 min read Building bridges Some patients have strong preferences that may not align with best practices of care. Empathy, active listening, and kindness can build trust and guide patients toward making informed medical decisions.
September 28, 2022 | 1 min read The Fist Bump By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine My patient and her family showed me how to celebrate and enjoy each moment, even in the face of a terminal diagnosis.
November 25, 2020 | 2 min read Naming Chickens By Claire Crawford, MSW, PhD, Texas Childrens Incorporate laughter and joy where you can, giving yourself, your patients, and their families, moments of respite.
April 26, 2019 | 2 min read Building Authentic Rapport By Leslie Ordal, MSc, CGC Building rapport is about meeting patients where they are and showing that you’re putting their concerns first. Strong rapport transforms a clinical interaction into a human interaction, which is the heart of patient-partnered care.
May 23, 2023 | 3 min read “Both And” By Jennifer Lycette, MD, rural oncologist in the Pacific Northwest As the only oncologist in a small rural town, I must often care for patients who are also my friends.
August 12, 2021 | 1 min read Beyond Language—Closing the Gaps By Vivian Altiery De Jesus, MD, MBE, Johns Hopkins Medicine Caring for a patient who didn’t speak English showed me that all patients can benefit from a compassionate facial expression, eye contact, and a soothing tone.
Encourage parents to support their teens in connecting with friends in physically-distanced ways. March 3, 2020 | 3 min read The Power of the “Ordinary” By Gaye Cunnane, MD, PhD, Trinity College Dublin Excellent clinicians recognize that sometimes the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of patients comes in the most unexpected moments.
June 17, 2024 | 2 min read Beyond superficiality By Eric Last, DO, Northwell Health, Wantagh, New York A few minutes genuinely listening to a patient's story can make a world of difference. It can foster authentic connections and translate into enhanced trust.
September 19, 2022 | 1 min read What I’ve Learned as an ESL Physician By Ming-Hsien Wang, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Growing up with non-English speaking parents, I know first-hand the challenges that these patients face. Being able to communicate is imperative for connecting and creating effective treatment plans.
November 18, 2020 | 1 min read She’s Only 24 By Rakesh Patel, MD, University of Nottingham Listening to patients’ fears and concerns builds understanding about the potential impact of disease on their long term goals. This may be especially important for younger patients.
January 22, 2020 | 2 min read How to Help Patients who Feel Angry By Leslie Miller, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Asking your patient open-ended questions about how they're doing can lead to a much deeper conversation that not only illuminates the origin of their anger and suggests treatment strategies, but can also be therapeutic in itself.
May 17, 2023 | 2 min read Art Cart By Laura Castillo, pre-med, Johns Hopkins University Arts and crafts in the hospital can provide simple joy to everyone. Sometimes a colored sheet of paper and a few well-placed folds go a long way.
August 10, 2021 | 2 min read Cancer, Combat, And Patient-Centered Care By Richard Schaefer, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine While caring for a pregnant soldier diagnosed with cancer, I was reminded that learning patients’ stories is vital. Doing so facilitates patient-centered care and meaningful relationships.
February 24, 2020 | 1 min read “StoryCorps” Moments By Sharon Solomon, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Taking the time to listen to patients' stories validates the humanity that is integral in the practice of medicine. It also can create meaning and bring joy within the patient-clinician dyad.
June 5, 2024 | 2 min read Near death By Aurora Grutman, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine Overcoming anxiety about the end of life allows one to explore concerns with empathy and openness. A willingness to learn about patients’ spiritual beliefs can help clinicians provide compassionate and holistic care.
August 25, 2022 | 3 min read Hugs Are Medicine By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania Showing genuine warmth is a compassionate way to comfort our patients.
Maintain eye contact with your patient if and when you're typing in the electronic medical record (EMR). December 15, 2020 | 1 min read Embracing the EMR By Alice Rothchild, MD, Seattle, WA The best gift we can give our patients is our undivided attention. Maintain eye contact with your patient if and when you’re typing in the electronic medical record during the encounter.
February 7, 2019 | 3 min read 8 Tips From a Psychiatric Emergency Nurse By Andrea Strawther, RN, Johns Hopkins Medicine We are all patients. The golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated can help patients and healthcare providers build more trusting relationships.
May 11, 2023 | 1 min read Life is a Rollercoaster By Lucia Ponor, MD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Medicine When my patient told me about how chemotherapy was affecting his family, I realized that sometimes we need to set aside medical facts and just listen.
August 3, 2021 | 1 min read Patient-Family Conflict By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine When your patient and their family disagree about medical decisions or goals of care, remember that your primary responsibility is to the patient. Skillful facilitation of family meetings may be necessary, and allowing each person to voice their concerns may be helpful.
February 10, 2020 | 2 min read Engendering Trust in the Care Team By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine Excellent clinicians help patients expand their circle of trust, beyond their favorite physician, to include more members of the healthcare team.
May 22, 2024 | 1 min read Why the well visit? By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine There is often a reason for an office visit beyond just “well-check.” It can be challenging and rewarding to skillfully create space for concerns to come out.
August 24, 2022 | 2 min read Conversations With Those Who Are Vaccine-Hesitant By Joan Park, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Talking about vaccines with patients can sometimes feel challenging. Extending empathy, sharing your own story, and being honest about potential side effects can be helpful.
November 4, 2020 | 3 min read It’s All Relative By Elisabeth Marsh, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine It's essential that we approach each patient with a fresh outlook. Bringing emotions, positive or negative, from a previous clinical interaction can adversely affect the next patient.
March 21, 2019 | 3 min read Sitting with suffering By Margaret "Molly" Hayes, MD, Harvard Medical School Sometimes just our presence is all we can do to comfort a grieving family. It never feels like enough and it never will be, but it is something. Silence is powerful and doesn’t need to be filled with empty words. Sit with suffering and silence.
May 10, 2023 | 1 min read Coming Back Later By Tetsuyuki Kawai, medical student, Texas Tech I learned from my patient with terminal lung cancer that it’s often helpful to give time to process bad news before making a medical plan together.
July 14, 2021 | 1 min read How to Respond to Off-putting Comments from Patients By Elizabeth Steuber, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Sometimes comments from patients are rooted in their own unmet fears or needs. Instead of reacting to your own discomfort in the face of such comments, remaining curious and asking open-ended questions may help you understand what’s behind such unpleasant remarks.
February 5, 2020 | 2 min read A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words By Rafael Llinas, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine The clinically excellent physician knows that sometimes talking isn't enough. When possible, sharing information with patients visually can enhance their understanding.
April 29, 2024 | 3 min read A patient’s reflection on connecting with clinicians—what matters most By Jennifer Ball, BSJ, MA, Chicago, IL Empathy and cultural competence are cornerstones of excellent patient care. Prioritizing these values can help each patient feel respected, empowered, and supported.
August 23, 2022 | 1 min read Supporting Patients When Their Previous Physician Has Left The Practice By Carol Bernstein, MD, Montefiore Medical Center, Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine Thoughtful communication with new patients whose longtime clinicians have recently left positions can reduce stress and help develop rapport.
September 30, 2020 | 2 min read Perspective-taking Through Poetry By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine Creative writing may enhance our ability to recognize and understand conflicting perspectives in order to better empathize with our patients.
January 9, 2019 | 1 min read The Disease of Loneliness By Shannon Scott-Vernaglia, MD, Mass General In an environment pushing us ever faster, making the time to listen will often lead to better patient outcomes and greater clinician fulfillment.
May 9, 2023 | 3 min read Interpreting Patients’ Goals By Adela Wu, MD, Stanford Medicine While caring for a patient who spoke a different language than I, the medical interpreter translated more than words. She also explained cultural differences that proved invaluable.
June 29, 2021 | 2 min read Making Jewelry With my Patients By Deirdre Johnston, MBBCh, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Some clinicians are lucky enough to interact with patients outside of medical encounters. In such settings, recognition of additional facets of their personalities may become evident, which will strengthen the patient-clinician relationship.
February 6, 2020 | 2 min read Navigating Masculinity in Medicine By Kultaj Kaleka, MD, RN, Central Michigan University The clinically excellent physician understands that male patients may need support sharing their perspectives.
April 18, 2024 | 1 min read Anger: a sign of trauma By Lucia Ponor, MD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Medicine Healthcare professionals can move beyond simply treating the physical condition by creating a safe space for patients to share traumatic experiences.
August 17, 2022 | 2 min read Listening to The How Can Reveal The Why By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine, Meshulam Twerski, medical student, Penn Medicine The way patients express their reluctance to pursue screening can help uncover truths that guide meaningful conversations and build trust.
December 19, 2018 | <1 min read Dr. Michael Carducci, A CLOSLER Look By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor Patients with cancer are vulnerable. There are a lot of emotions associated with this diagnosis, and I want to make patients feel that they are not the disease.
"A return to 'normalcy' may be a return to challenging situations–school or workplace bullying, for example." May 8, 2023 | 1 min read “How are you?” By Rheanna Platt, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine When asking patients and others how they are doing post-pandemic, consider opening with, “I know the transition back to ‘normal’ hasn’t been easy for everyone.” Then leave time for responses other than “fine.”
June 25, 2021 | 3 min read “Tell me About Yourself” By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania During my recent experiences interviewing for med school, I learned that the best interviewers, like the best clinicians, focused on my comfort and let our conversation flow naturally. Such prioritizations promote deeper human connections
January 29, 2020 | 2 min read How to Give Patients Presence By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania Leaving your own worries at the door, sitting at eye level, and listening attentively are three important ways to connect meaningfully with your patients.
April 10, 2024 | 1 min read Toxic positivity By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine A stage 4 cancer patient taught me how constant encouragement can be emotionally draining for someone facing their mortality. Presence, love, and understanding may be better received.
August 11, 2022 | 2 min read A Mother’s Death By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine Including a patient’s words in your empathic response is affirming and creates connection.
December 20, 2018 | 9 min read You’re not getting my f-ing box cutter: paradoxical ways kids ask for limits By Hal Kronsberg, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine The most important lesson I’ve learned as a child psychiatrist is how badly kids want limits when they’re struggling, even when they keep that wish to themselves. Kids are smart, and when we catch them breaking a rule, we need to be curious about why it happened.
May 4, 2023 | 2 min read The Power of Stories By Flora Kisuule, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine A recent grand rounds by Dr. Kimberly Manning illuminated how stories give meaning to why we do what we do.
June 24, 2021 | 2 min read How to Emotionally Support Patients Through Challenging Moments By Rebekah Fenton, MD, Northwestern University When I was a med student, I tried to “fix” how my patient was feeling. I learned that many patients need time to sit with their feelings and that listening empathically can be the best approach.
January 13, 2020 | 4 min read You are my Sunshine By Lingsheng Li, MD, MHS, University of California, San Franscisco The clinically excellent clinician understands that what we say and do may matter more than what we know.
March 27, 2024 | 1 min read Deepening connections: takeaways from David Brooks’ “How to Know a Person” By Gretchen Miller, Managing Editor Healthcare professionals can enhance their connections with patients and coworkers by truly understanding others. Looking beyond the surface, cultivating empathy, and mastering the art of paying attention can help clinicians build deeper relationships.
August 4, 2022 | 2 min read Processing The ICU Experience By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine When my patient felt overwhelmed from an ICU stay, I realized what she needed most was to have her feelings validated after this near-death experience.
Infectious disease physician Amash Adalja, MD, often uses car analogies to concretize abstract concepts for his patients. December 17, 2018 | 1 min read How to Make Abstract Concepts Concrete By Amesh Adalja, MD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health To explain complex subjects to patients, you take an abstract concept and concretize it. This is important for patient counseling, and as a method to check your own knowledge.
