Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

5 tips to better communicate with your patients

Suneel Dhand, MD
Physician
January 9, 2018
338 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Communication is the cornerstone of good health care. Despite all the external challenges we face with the system in which we work, those few minutes we spend with patients and their families are precious — and are what we will be remembered for. We, therefore, owe it to our patients to be at our very best and to make them the absolute center of our world for that time. Few things could be more important for a physician than being a good communicator.

Communication is, after all, a science — and it’s an area that I am personally very passionate about. I have been honored to give many presentations on this subject, and even one-on-one coaching to my fellow physicians. It simply is not taught enough in medical schools. To be honest, though, I do not believe there is any teaching in the world that could ever turn a poor communicator into a great one (just being brutally honest). However, there is a huge amount that any physician — or for that matter any professional — can do to greatly enhance their communication techniques.

The way anybody communicates and the way the recipient interprets everything is a complex interplay of many different factors; what we say, how we say it, and our non-verbal behavior including disposition and mannerisms (most research suggests that the vast bulk of our communication is in fact non-verbal). Here are five things that every physician has to always subconsciously communicate to their patient:

1. I am competent. It goes without saying that a physician must come across as being totally knowledgeable and confident in their field. They know their trade down a tee and project that in a calm and down-to-earth manner to their patient: “I am the best and you can trust what I am saying.”

2. I am not in a hurry. Working as a physician is one of the most hectic, unpredictable and high-pressure jobs. The reality is that any doctor us always going to be hurried and have a million and one things to do. However, doctors should strive to never allow their non-verbal behavior to project this to their patients.

3. I am not motivated by money. I was at a party recently and was talking to another guest who had suffered an orthopedic problem. He went to see a specialist in upstate New York, and came out of the appointment convinced that the orthopedic surgeon was trying to be as interventional as possible “to make money.” I’ve actually heard patients make comments like this to me before, worried that their doctor is trying to “make money off them” by doing more tests. I cannot speak about whether these allegations were true or not, but clearly, the patient came out of the appointment thinking that. We can get into a debate about healthcare systems (and I’m certainly no fan of heavily centralized socialized medicine)—but at the other end of the spectrum, it’s terrible if any physician is purely motivated financially or for any reason projects this to their patients. The absolute last thing a doctor should be communicating is that they are driven by money.

4. I am more interested in listening than talking. The average physician lets their patient speak for about 20 seconds before interrupting. Sure, all doctors certainly need to stay focused and remain time conscious — but give your patients a chance to speak! Just as in your personal life, sometimes you’ve got to just slow down, stop and listen — ceasing doing all the talking. Remember the famous wise phrase: “If speaking is silver, then listening is gold.” Also, no doctor should ever leave without giving the patient and their family a chance to ask questions.

5. I truly care about you. This relates to some of the above points as well, but the number one thing a physician should be communicating is their total care, dedication, and service to their patient. Nothing but the patient’s welfare is in our hearts. We want them to get better and be healthy as soon as possible, and our communication displays empathy and compassion. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, put it very well over two-and-a-half millennia ago: “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.”

It’s something all doctors have to keep reminding ourselves of during our busy work days, as we see person after person in ever-decreasing time slots. There’s often nothing more important to our patients than how we communicate with them. So doctor, make the most out of those few minutes and leave the best possible impression!

Suneel Dhand is an internal medicine physician and author. He is the founder, DocSpeak Communications and co-founder, DocsDox. He blogs at his self-titled site, Suneel Dhand.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

A physician lurked on Facebook mom groups. Here's what she found.

January 9, 2018 Kevin 23
…
Next

Ignoring your mental health is risky business

January 9, 2018 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
A physician lurked on Facebook mom groups. Here's what she found.
Next Post >
Ignoring your mental health is risky business

More by Suneel Dhand, MD

  • The dream patient that makes a doctor very happy

    Suneel Dhand, MD
  • When the family wants to speak to the doctor

    Suneel Dhand, MD
  • 3 reasons why patients are unhappy

    Suneel Dhand, MD

Related Posts

  • 3 ways to better communicate with patients via signposting

    Edward Leigh
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • 4 tips for better communication with patients

    Subha Mohan
  • 10 tips to help patients through benzodiazepine withdrawal

    Christy Huff, MD
  • You are abandoning your patients if you are not active on social media

    Pat Rich
  • Physician Suicide Awareness Day: Where are the patients? 

    Jennifer M. Sweeney

More in Physician

  • Finding your ideal work-life balance: tips for prioritizing personal life and achieving professional success

    Zahid Awan, MD
  • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • 7 ways to beat burnout: a guide for health care professionals to reduce stress and reclaim their passion

    Marie Livesey, DO
  • Heartwarming stories of cancer patients teaching us about life and the human spirit

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

    Jeffrey A. Singer, MD
  • The meaning of death in medicine: the role of compassionate care in end-of-life patient care

    Ton La, Jr., MD, JD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Nose-brain connection: The surprising link between allergies and mental health revealed

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Medical errors and the power of apologies [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Finding your ideal work-life balance: tips for prioritizing personal life and achieving professional success

      Zahid Awan, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • 7 ways to beat burnout: a guide for health care professionals to reduce stress and reclaim their passion

      Marie Livesey, DO | Physician
    • The unjust reality of racial disparities in pediatric kidney transplants

      Lien Morcate | Conditions
    • The pros and cons of taking a gap year during medical school

      Med School Insiders | Education, Sponsored

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Long COVID Cognitive, Depressive Symptoms Tied to Brain Inflammation Marker
  • 'Practice Changing' Trial on Activity Recs After Prolapse Surgery
  • What's With the Buzz Around NAD+ Injections?
  • Standing, Walking After Major Surgery Tied to Less Risk of Post-Op Complications
  • Tenapanor Improves Abdominal Symptoms in Patients With IBS-C

Meeting Coverage

  • Tenapanor Improves Abdominal Symptoms in Patients With IBS-C
  • Benefits Found for Hand OA Drug Treatments
  • MRI-Based Screening May Detect Prostate Cancer Earlier
  • New Model Aims to Study Intestinal Fibrosis in Crohn's Disease
  • Hypertension Tied to Worse Survival After Surgery for Upper Tract Urothelial Cancers
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Nose-brain connection: The surprising link between allergies and mental health revealed

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Medical errors and the power of apologies [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Finding your ideal work-life balance: tips for prioritizing personal life and achieving professional success

      Zahid Awan, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • 7 ways to beat burnout: a guide for health care professionals to reduce stress and reclaim their passion

      Marie Livesey, DO | Physician
    • The unjust reality of racial disparities in pediatric kidney transplants

      Lien Morcate | Conditions
    • The pros and cons of taking a gap year during medical school

      Med School Insiders | Education, Sponsored

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...