Listen to your patients

All of us, including our patients, want to be heard. We value relationships with people who really listen.

And letting patients know that you see them as people goes a long way. For example, a patient would much rather be known as the proud grandmother who grows dahlias than as the 62-year-old female with mild hypertension and arthritis.

Patients also value relationships in which their self-esteem is validated. That doesn’t mean giving compliments; rather, it means validating patients’ self-esteem by inviting their ideas about the health issues you are discussing. Even if patients don’t have anything more to contribute, the act of asking for their thoughts is a huge deposit in the relationship account.