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.
January 24, 2024 | 2 min read Grief in the season of joy By Eric Last, DO, Northwell Health, Wantagh, New York After the holidays, I think back on patients who passed in December, an especially hard time to lose a loved one. At this time of year, I make an extra effort to help loved ones process their feelings.
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.
June 13, 2022 | 1 min read The Crooner And The Waltz By Frank Cacace, MD, North Shore University Hospital Music can convey feelings that are otherwise inexpressible. It can benefit the health, wellness, and healing of both patients and clinicians.
May 1, 2025 | 2 min read Avoiding medical gaslighting Actively listen to and validate patients' experiences, recognizing their unique knowledge of themselves. Providing thoughtful support can earn patients' trust and help them feel better about their circumstances.
Illustration from "Jasper and Tabitha Play a Trick on the Coronas." Copyright by the author. 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.
March 23, 2023 | 2 min read 5 questions I ask every patient (archives 2023) By Lillie Shockney, RN, MS, Johns Hopkins Medicine I talk with patients who have metastatic breast cancer about their hopes and worries at every visit. This allows me to give better, whole-person care.
March 29, 2021 | 2 min read Validating Your Patient’s Experience of Chronic Pain By Jocelyn Fitzgerald, MD, University of Pittsburgh We must empathize with our patients who are suffering from chronic pain. Working with them to achieve a better quality of life may be a reasonable shared goal.
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.
January 18, 2024 | 1 min read “Please pray for me” By Youngjee Choi, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine When my longtime patient with chronic illness asked me to pray for her, I told her I would. Whether prayer is something one can offer, responding to emotional and spiritual requests can be an important part of care.
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.
June 8, 2022 | 1 min read I Wonder… By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine “I wonder . . .” is a phrase that triggers curiosity and empathy. It can help us support patients instead of labeling them as “difficult.”
April 29, 2025 | 2 min read Soul gym Our culture frequently celebrates physical strength. In healthcare, the power of emotional fortitude is regularly called upon when encountering patients’ frustration or anger.
Bagels & Cream Cheese 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
March 20, 2023 | 4 min read Lazy gardening By Ken Koon Wong, MD, Cleveland Clinic, Naomi Tyree, MD, Summa Health, Ohio Talking about shared interests, such as gardening, is a wonderful way to deepen relationships with patients.
Humility—a graceful bridge over the abyss of self-doubt. April 7, 2021 | 3 min read Humility By Steve Bierman, MD, Del Mar, California In medicine, all too often the optimal approach for diagnosis or therapy is not entirely clear. Acknowledging uncertainty with your patient is a sign of a humility that can strengthen the connection.
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.
January 16, 2024 | 2 min read “Too maternal” By Kimberlee Parker, DO, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine Being a mother has helped me to be a better doctor. Both roles require empathy, which I express toward my children and patients.
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.
June 2, 2022 | 2 min read ‘68 Chevy Camaro By Jennifer Eitingon, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine If we limit the way we view our patients, we will miss out on what makes them who they are. By taking time to learn more about them as people, we can connect and offer better care.
April 16, 2025 | 1 min read Shared decision making 2.0 We need a new shared decision-making paradigm where all possibilities for care are out on the table, including unconventional ones. A clinician’s humility and openness are especially important now that patients are more emboldened to question the opinions of experts.
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.
March 15, 2023 | 1 min read Einstein’s Relativity And Patient Care By Steve Kravet, MD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Conversations about the passing of time can stimulate meaningful reflections during patient visits.
March 15, 2021 | 1 min read How to talk with patients who are vaccine-hesitant (archives, 2021) When speaking with patients reluctant to get vaccinated, listen to their concerns, and convey respect and empathy.
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 3, 2024 | 4 min read Make a good stack By Kyle Glienke, MD, Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, Iowa Like baling hay, connecting with patients on a personal level requires intentionality and consistency.
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.
May 12, 2022 | 2 min read The “Uninterested” Mom Who Wept By Precious Ndukwe, MD, Howard University When caring for an overweight infant as a medical student, I wrongly assumed the mother was overfeeding the baby. This experience will remind me in the future to leave my suppositions at the door.
April 7, 2025 | 2 min read The connective cure By Allison Pugh, PhD, Johns Hopkins Univeristy The art of genuine human interaction is a vital clinical skill that no algorithm can replicate. This building of connection can foster trust, enable healing, and facilitate holistic care.
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.
March 14, 2023 | 2 min read Laughter is The Best Medicine By Marion McCrary, MD, Duke Health A smile, a touch, eye contact, and a jovial laugh can be a lifeline for patients in a stressful situation.
April 5, 2021 | 2 min read Slowing Down at The Bedside By Sanjana Mathur, MBBS, University of Central Florida Physically examining your patient takes time and cannot be rushed. Having a methodical approach will help you make accurate assessments when examining patients.
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.
December 18, 2023 | 1 min read The healing power of story By Shwetha Mudalegundi, medical student, Johns Hopkins Medicine I used a narrative medicine technique when caring for a patient who mistrusted the healthcare system. By writing his story and reading it back to him, he understood that the care team was truly listening.
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.
April 27, 2022 | 2 min read Listening to Your Patient’s Grief By Avani Prabhakar, MBBS, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine By listening to a patient’s story of loss, we bear witness and affirm their experience.
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.
March 2, 2023 | 2 min read Meaningful Chords By Ben Roberts, CRNP, AGACNP-BC, ACHPN, Johns Hopkins Medicine When my patient’s wife brought his guitar to the hospital, I realized it’s impossible to overestimate the impact of reuniting patients with what matters most to them. Do what you can to make this happen.
October 1, 2018 | 2 min read Listening to Build Trust By Sophie Lanzkron, MD, MDH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine When I'm helping a patient who's angry about an aspect of care, the most important thing I do is listen, just sit quietly and listen. Often patients just want to be heard. Listening and repeating back their concerns lets them know they've been heard.
March 22, 2021 | 2 min read Why I Care About The Costumes in “Little Women” By Leslie Miller, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine We can build deeper relationships with our patients by talking with them about their passions—from Broadway to zinnias.
June 21, 2021 | 2 min read Seen But Not Heard By Nick Sawyer, MD, MBA, University of California, Davis Some patients sense that their stories aren’t appreciated. Taking the time to sit and listen to patients can build trust and begin to restore their faith in the healthcare system.
December 6, 2023 | 1 min read Reality bites By Carolina Saldanha, MD, Massachusetts General Brigham Salem Hospital I constructed what I thought was a great care plan for my patient with diabetes. I later learned that he wasn’t allowed lunch breaks and had nowhere to store his insulin. I now ask the patient about their daily routine to create a realistic plan.
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.
April 14, 2022 | 1 min read “Don’t Worry” By Jeffrey Millstein, MD, Penn Medicine General reassurances are often ineffective when they don’t address patients’ true concerns.
March 13, 2025 | 1 min read Wearing many hats By Jessica Park, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine Sharing parts of your identity, for example being a parent, may help you to connect with patients on a deeper level. Shared humanity can create a deeper relationship, which is essential for trust and service.
February 15, 2023 | 2 min read Speaking from my heart By Leslie Miller, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine When deeply worried about the mental health of patients, make sure they feel heard, validated, and empowered.
"My patient dreamed of walking with me at the seashore and staying up late chatting. That dream was an escape, a mental vacation, and a balm for her wounds." April 19, 2021 | 2 min read Let Your Patient Dream By Zeina Moukarzel, MD, MPH, Beirut, Lebanon From my young patient about to have all of her limbs amputated, I learned about compassion and courage.
June 10, 2021 | 3 min read Why Perfectionism May Weaken Your Relationships With Patients By Maureen Flood, NP, Johns Hopkins Medicine My perfectionist tendencies weakened my relationship with a patient. Being aware of and working to overcome this habit can be helpful for patients and take pressure off healthcare professionals.
November 27, 2023 | 2 min read When the truth (literally) hurts By Eric Last, DO, Northwell Health, Wantagh, New York When our patients are facing surgery or other procedures, thoughtful questions can help allay their worries.
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.
