January 6, 2026 | 2 min read

The sacred art of care 

Let compassion guide your words and touch in every encounter. Kindness and empathy earn trust while facilitating patients’ healing. 

August 19, 2019 | 6 min read

Holding Hope

By Jennifer Goetz, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital

By highlighting the strength and courage of our patients, we can sustain hope for our patients and their families.

October 12, 2023 | 1 min read

A Lesson Emphasized in Brazilian Medical Training

By Thiago Mendes, MD, University of Pittsburgh

In my medical training in Brazil, I learned to live by Theodore Roosevelt’s quotation, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." 

July 7, 2020 | 1 min read

Curbside Care

By Marianne Fingerhood, NP, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Whether seeing patients in-person or virtually, one of the most important aspects of care is the human connection.

February 10, 2022 | 1 min read

How to Express Empathy With Humility

By Rebekah Fenton, MD, Northwestern University

To show we care, we can simply say something like, “I can’t imagine how hard this must be.”

August 14, 2018 | 2 min read

Have Guitar – Will Travel

By David Shih Wu, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Consider how you might use your creative gifts—and your imagination—to connect more deeply with your patients and bring them joy.

April 26, 2018 | 1 min read

Forming True Partnerships In Care: Listen To Your Patient

By Michael Crocetti, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Reflecting on caring for a 12-year-old with a complex neurological condition, I was humbled by the parents’ definition of clinically excellent patient care.

December 5, 2022 | 2 min read

The “List”

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Reviewing patients’ lists of concerns is an opportunity to build trust and partnership. It may also make visits more productive and satisfying for both patients and clinicians. 

December 16, 2025 | 1 min read

Check box vs. check-in  

Medical visits today often involve care gap inquiries. The way we ask patients about them can help transform a rote task into a curious and satisfying conversation. 

July 24, 2019 | 3 min read

Time, Talent, and Treasure

By Jennifer Foster, MD, MBA, Florida Atlantic University

Excellent clinicians always strive to make human connections with their patients. This creates the foundation of trust and respect essential to healing.

October 2, 2023 | 4 min read

Exclamation Points And Exhalations

By Ajibike Lapite, MD, MPHTM, Texas Childrens Hospital

Even when lab results are normal, some patients may still have concerns. Take time to address their fears and worries.

May 6, 2020 | 1 min read

Talking With Children About COVID-19 Using Stories

By Taylor Purvis, MD, St. Vincent Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT

In times of heightened anxiety for children, parents turn to clinicians for help. Sharing COVID-19 resources for children, including stories, can help them make sense of the pandemic.

February 9, 2022 | 2 min read

How to Improve Clinician-Patient Connections, Part 4

By Christine Ko, MD, Yale University

My “fast” thoughts about a patient may not truly represent their experience. “Slow” thinking may give a more accurate picture.  

December 23, 2024 | 1 min read

Beyond the Grinch’s grump 

By Heather Agee, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Patients exhibiting "Grinch-like" behaviors may be masking underlying trauma and vulnerability. Try an empathetic "Cindy Lou" approach to foster trust and facilitate healing. 

December 1, 2020 | 4 min read

When Patients Trust Only You

By Howard Chang, Medical Student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Through empathic listening, all members of the healthcare team can build rapport with patients in their most vulnerable moments.

November 15, 2022 | 1 min read

Will I lose my hair? (from the 2022 archives)

By Lauren Rissman, MD, Advocate Childrens Hospital

Talking with my young patient about his cancer, he shared being most afraid of going bald. I learned that it’s important to acknowledge and validate all worries, including those that are not life-threatening.

December 10, 2025 | 2 min read

Beyond the signature 

Informed consent includes a patient-centered conversation grounded in their goals, not just a list of risks. Ask what matters most and address any concerns that arise. 

August 14, 2019 | 3 min read

What Physics Taught me About Patient Stories

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

As in physics, the answers are usually in plain sight. Listening to our patients with curiosity and humility will usually lead to understanding.

September 28, 2023 | 1 min read

Out of Body 

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Even when clear and without excessive jargon, explanations of body processes can be confusing for some patients. Real world, non-medical analogies may be enlightening. 

April 28, 2020 | 2 min read

Cream Cheese and Kindness

By Ivor Berkowitz, MBBCh, MBA, Johns Hopkins Medicine

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

February 8, 2022 | 2 min read

How to Improve Patient-Clinician Connections, Part 3

By Christine Ko, MD, Yale University

Starting each visit with a centering exercise focused on the patient may allow one to be fully present.    

November 21, 2024 | 2 min read

Building bridges with patients through writing

By Roshni Beeharry, MBBS, University College London

Reflective journaling can be used to help us step into our patient’s shoes to understand their unique challenges. Consider experimenting with this and other forms of writing.

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.

November 9, 2022 | 2 min read

Trust

By Joanne Shay, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

While caring for a four-year-old girl diagnosed with lymphoma, I learned that acknowledging and validating patient and family fears strengthens relationships.

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.

July 22, 2019 | 5 min read

5 Lessons From Visible Ink

By Anoushka Sinha, MD, Columbia University

It is humbling to remember we are merely characters in our patients' stories. We are neither the author nor the narrator, and certainly not the lead.

September 26, 2023 | 2 min read

Talk Less, Listen More

By Aurora Grutman, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine

A conversation with a fentanyl overdose survivor taught me to listen with humble curiosity, and talk to patients thoughtfully with respect and sensitivity.

April 30, 2020 | 4 min read

Letting go of Your Agenda

By Allison Chrestensen, MPH, OTR/L

Compassionate care requires that we trust our patients to guide us.

February 7, 2022 | 2 min read

How to Improve Clinician-Patient Connections, Part 2

By Christine Ko, MD, Yale University

I almost always run late in clinic. By having a growth mindset, I’ve reframed this as an opportunity to improve.  

October 22, 2024 | 4 min read

Note to self: “Sit down and shut up” 

By William Ravekes, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Sitting down demonstrates presence and creates a sense of equality in the interaction. Together with active listening and avoiding interruptions, this fosters trust and rapport. 

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.

November 2, 2022 | 2 min read

The Last Choice

By Ivy Akid, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Caring for a man dying of cancer reminded me to always guide patients toward decisions that best align with their goals of care. 

July 16, 2019 | 3 min read

3 Lessons in Hospitality From my Patient

By Loveleena Virk, MD, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland Medical Center, California.

Hospitality is a human connection through the gift of attention and care. When hospitality becomes our modus operandi, care is transformed from transactional to sacred.

September 7, 2023 | 2 min read

“That Guy”

By Maureen Flood, NP, Johns Hopkins Medicine

When caring for a patient that pushes my buttons, I remind myself that they were once an innocent baby who was loved by someone. 

April 29, 2020 | 3 min read

Connecting Through Shared Vulnerabilities

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine

Talking about shared COVID-19 worries allows you to connect more deeply with patients.

January 19, 2022 | 2 min read

Cognitive Psychology And Patient-Clinician Connections

By Christine Ko, MD, Yale University

To foster warmth toward patients, first be aware of how you’re feeling. If you're feeling burned out, you can intentionally practice cultivating a more caring attitude. 

October 9, 2024 | 2 min read

Softening the “SPIKES” 

When delivering challenging news, it is crucial to tailor the communication to the patient's preferences. Break down the message into small, spaced-out segments to allow for gradual processing. 

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.

May 28, 2019 | 3 min read

Supporting my Patients who Smoke

It's important to make sure that the responsibility for addressing tobacco dependence is placed on the shoulders of clinicians, and off of the shoulders of the afflicted.

September 6, 2023 | 3 min read

Getting Older in Medicine

By Joanne Shay, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Both of my knees need to be replaced—I already can’t wait to get back to playing pickleball. I now have renewed empathy in the OR and remind patients: “Recovery will take time. Try to be patient.” 

March 29, 2018 | 1 min read

Top Five Tips For Successful Community Engagement

Part II of II: Five specific strategies to gain the trust of your patient’s community, agree on health goals, and together define what success looks like.

January 10, 2022 | 2 min read

Being Present During The Dying Process

By Shireen Heidari, MD, Stanford University

It’s the job of all clinicians to guide patients and their loved ones through the experience of death. Offering support and being present can help them navigate the end of life. 

September 12, 2024 | 2 min read

Validating feelings 

I cared for a patient who had been rejected from a rehab facility because of her weight. I was reminded of the importance of acknowledging the patient’s emotions as part of the care plan. 

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.

October 24, 2022 | 1 min read

Wayfinding

By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine, William Cohen, medical student, Penn Medicine

When a clinical visit begins to feel like being lost at sea, a simple inquiry about what a patient would most like to accomplish during their visit may help guide the encounter. 

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.

May 21, 2019 | 3 min read

Telling People Terrible Things

By Amy Caruso Brown, MD, SUNY Upstate Medical University

Learning to break bad news gently takes time and practice, with the goal of telling the most terrible things to our patients a little bit less terrible.

August 21, 2023 | 2 min read

DO you see me? CAN you see me? 

By Mandy Hill, DrPH, MPH, UTHealth Houston, McGovern Medical School

As a part of every patient encounter, I ask myself how I can ensure that they have a positive experience. This begins with recognizing the patient as a person. 

April 15, 2020 | 2 min read

Keeping Older Adults Connected

By Susan Lehmann, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Social distancing can increase loneliness, especially among older adults. Finding ways to stay connected through phone and virtual visits can combat social isolation.