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.
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.
March 1, 2018 | 2 min read Individualized Medicine Calls Me Back to Patient Stories By Tom Laskow, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine New thinking mirrors old wisdom: to understand this manifestation of disease, understand this patient.
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.
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.
October 30, 2019 | 13 min read Partnering With Parents—An Appraisal of Familial Feelings By Monique Webber The clinically excellent clinician understands that each family responds to and copes with chronic illness or disability differently. Being open-minded when partnering with families, and especially parents, is critical for ensuring a trusting relationship and providing support.
September 30, 2021 | 1 min read The Cancer is Back By Anonymous Physician, Johns Hopkins Medicine I recently lost a young patient to cancer. I was reminded that even when we cannot cure our patient’s illness, we can always show empathy and compassion.
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.
March 10, 2020 | 1 min read Observing and Acknowledging Family Dynamics By Kimberly Zeren, NP, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians During your next patient encounter, take the time to observe the family dynamics. Don't be afraid to ask the difficult questions.
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.
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.
September 4, 2018 | 1 min read 7 Tips for Working With an Interpreter By Stephanie Nothelle, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Pause often, ask one question at a time, and avoid idioms when speaking through an interpreter.
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.
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.
October 29, 2019 | 4 min read Curiosity, Connection, and Comfort By Margaret "Molly" Hayes, MD, Harvard Medical School Curiosity is an essential part of our humanity and a foundation of the doctor-patient relationship. By remaining curious, we remain faithful to the words of Hippocrates: “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.”
Autumn leaves October 5, 2021 | 1 min read The Sound of Silence By Michelle Warncke, MBBS, MSc, North Carolina Creating silent moments when talking with patients gives them time to process and the opportunity to share concerns that may not otherwise be spoken.
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.
March 11, 2020 | 3 min read Saturdays With Mr. Hargett By Yolonda Wilson, PhD, 2019-2020 Fellow at the National Humanities Center and 2019-2020 Encore Public Voices Fellow Loneliness is an epidemic. Being aware of this, asking about it, and empathizing can make a world of difference.
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.
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.
August 28, 2025 | 3 min read Listening for faith Inquiring about patients’ spiritual lives can help us deliver more compassionate, holistic care. Noting the diversity of religiosity can help us to respect the outlook and perspectives of all patients.
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.
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.
October 8, 2019 | 4 min read Can you hear me now? By Mariah Robertson, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine The onus may be on the clinically excellent doctor to overcome a the patient's disability that interferes with care. A pocket talker can make a big difference for patients with hearing impairment.
"Planting The Seed of The Heart," by David Kopacz. September 21, 2021 | 7 min read How are you . . . really? By David Kopacz, MD, University of Washington A helpful practice to connect and understand your patient is to ask, "How are you doing . . . really?” If they’re hesitant to respond, consider sharing something you’ve found stressful lately to open the conversation.
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.
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.
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.
August 24, 2022 | 2 min read Conversations with those who are vaccine-hesitant (archives, 2022) 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.
August 27, 2025 | 2 min read “Did you have the baby?” Self-disclosure by the clinician had long been discouraged in medical training. Often, it can significantly enhance the patient-doctor relationship.
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.
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.
October 7, 2019 | 2 min read 5 Tips for Effective Shared Decision-Making By Mary Catherine Beach, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics The clinically excellent physician practices effective shared decision-making with patients routinely. Select recommendations outlined include using decision aids, and establishing a relationship that is egalitarian and respectful.
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.
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.
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.
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.
August 26, 2025 | 2 min read A cultural safety-centric approach Ask patients, especially those who have been historically marginalized, if they feel safe, heard, and respected. Take time to learn about their background and healing practices to deepen trust and improve health outcomes.
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.
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.
October 1, 2019 | 4 min read Developing a Complete Culture of Interpretation By April Lugo, Program Coordinator, Johns Hopkins Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion The clinically excellent clinician prioritizes training for themselves and their staff on the proper role of an interpreter. They work to empower interpreters to translate not only the patient's words, but also the patient's tone, cadence, and meaning.
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.
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.
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.
August 6, 2025 | 1 min read A better way to care A patient’s anger showed me I needed to recognize his suffering and not simply offer a diagnosis. True care means moving beyond technical skill to connect with the whole person.
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
"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.”
September 23, 2019 | 3 min read How to Manage Chronic Pain and Opioids By Ryan Graddy, MD, AbsoluteCARE Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia Safe opioid stewardship is a key objective when managing chronic pain. Combining evidence-based strategies and compassionate care can help you to realize these goals.
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.
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.
