October 18, 2023 | 2 min read Have you done this before? By Scott Lifchez, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Listen for a patient’s anxiety when they ask questions about treatment. Addressing all concerns builds a trusting relationship and helps them better tolerate procedures that may initially be painful.
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.
February 17, 2022 | <1 min read Throw The Heart Machine Out The Window By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine In serving patients, it is sometimes best just to listen, show respect, and withhold judgement.
August 14, 2018 | 3 min read Seeing Your Patients Through New Perspectives By Patrick Hemming, MD, Duke University We can enhance our patient care if we incorporate the perspectives of life story and behavior.
September 15, 2020 | 3 min read How to talk with patients about sexual health (archives, 2020) By Matthew Hamill, MBChB, PhD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Sexual health can be a sensitive topic to discuss. Asking open-ended questions and allowing time for your patient’s story to unfold can create a safe space for conversations about sexual health.
December 14, 2020 | 2 min read Lessons From a Zoom Thanksgiving Applied to Patient Care By Ambereen Mehta, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Zoom made it possible for me to connect with many friends and family for Thanksgiving. Patient video visits that include family members from far away may enhance goals of care discussions.
December 14, 2022 | 1 min read Choosing The Right Words By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine, Lori Jia, medical student, Penn Medicine Using connecting language to seek deeper understanding of patients’ concerns may add richness to clinical encounters and help them feel safe.
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."
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.”
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.
September 9, 2020 | 1 min read We’re All in This Together By Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine With the added stress caused by the pandemic, make an extra effort to screen your patients for anxiety and depression. Empathizing about shared concerns may facilitate patient expression.
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 7, 2022 | 4 min read The Road to Aequanimitas My medical training in the 80s and 90s taught me to be reserved and distant from patients. After many years in practice, I now know that they deserve a personal relationship with their doctor.
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.
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.
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.
"I tend to think I'm above average in singing, but my family isn’t shy in telling me that I’m unskilled and unaware." 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.
November 5, 2020 | 3 min read Cultivating Compassion By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania Compassion—acting on the desire to relieve suffering—is central to giving clinically excellent care to those in need.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
August 20, 2020 | 2 min read 2 Minutes of Presence By Zara Latif, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center When talking with your patient, dedicate at least two minutes to pure listening. During that time, try to not think about the next question you want to ask and just hear your patient’s perspective.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
August 5, 2020 | 2 min read Discomfort as Your Internal Compass By Preetha Hebbar, MPH, medical student, Medical University of South Carolina There are situations that can make us feel uncomfortable when caring for patients. Acknowledging these feelings may result in deeper and more meaningful relationships with patients.
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 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.
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.
"Deliberate practice is needed." 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.
July 17, 2020 | 1 min read Person-Centered LGBTQ Care in the Pandemic Era By Justin Fontenot, MSN, RN Patient-centered care requires considering your patients’ wants and needs in their management. ALL patients deserve person-centered care.
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.
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.
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.
September 19, 2019 | 2 min read The Importance of Partnering With Patients By Michael Crocetti, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians What patients and families need is a clinician advocate who is available to listen, translate complex medical language, and support both the physical and mental health of the patient.
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.
June 11, 2020 | 2 min read The Power of Accompaniment By Aidan Crowley, Medical Student, University of Pennsylvania When there are no further treatment options available, healthcare professionals can still compassionately accompany their patients until the very end.
