Doctor-patient communication · 2

Doctor-patient communication: a selection of related articles across categories. Start with the issue closest to your situation; articles are ordered by relevance to the topic.

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    A Patient With Aphasia in a Healthcare Facility: How Can Staff Support Their Participation in Conversation?How can you talk with a patient with aphasia? Learn ways to ask questions, confirm responses and share what you have learned with the care team.Nursing home staff: How should you talk with an adult patient with dementia?How can nursing home staff speak plainly to an adult patient with dementia without sounding childish? Guidance on conversation, refusal, and family involvement.Midwives and doctors in the delivery room: how does teamwork shape the birthing person’s experience?How midwives and doctors can explain decisions together, protect a birthing person’s privacy, and handle differences of opinion during labour.The attending physician on a hospital ward: who explains the plan to the patient after a multidisciplinary meeting?After several specialist opinions, explain the current plan, name what remains uncertain and make clear who will answer the patient’s next questions.Empathy in the exam room, in the details: micro‑gestures that ease patient stress and fearEmpathy micro-gestures for clinicians: eye contact, short pauses, validation, paraphrasing, clear next steps, plus firm boundaries with a safety net.Beyond Dry Theory: Training Patient Conversations in Clinical PracticeMake patient conversations a practiced skill: 10‑minute micro‑drills, monthly sims, quick recordings, SPIKES/NURSE, and clear metrics.Family in the exam room: invaluable ally in care or a takeover waiting to happen?Concrete scripts to include family without sidelining the patient: consent, roles, confidentiality, de‑escalation, and backup plans.“This doctor isn’t listening!” Why patients feel that—and how to fix it right in the exam roomWhy patients feel unheard—and how to fix it fast: acknowledge, paraphrase, use the computer mindfully, set priorities, make a plan.Six minutes to keep a visit on track: a simple doctor–patient conversation scriptA ready rhythm for short visits: one‑sentence problem, mini agenda, timeline, micro‑pauses, and a clear plan with red flags. Simple scripts for care teams.Digital backup for bedside empathy: one timely nudge that can save a visitDesign discreet, in‑context prompts that nudge one behavior at the right moment—boost empathy, close plans, and protect safety/privacy.Putting Dr. Google on the couch: how to talk to patients after an online self‑diagnosisClinician scripts to handle 'Dr. Google': validate effort, vet sources, test hypotheses, and agree on a plan with safety nets.Talking with a Child and Parent in the Clinic: How to Run a Three-Way Visit When the Whole Family Is the PatientHow to lead a three-way pediatric visit: set roles fast, address parent emotions, speak to the child, handle conflict, and close with a clear plan.Human care without slogans: conversation style beats decor in healthcareSimple micro-behaviors build dignity and calm: a clear welcome, visit rhythm, plain language, wait-time updates, and a post-visit plan with one escalation path.Cognitive and emotional empathy in the clinic: what helps clinicians—and what overwhelmsHow to balance cognitive and emotional empathy and avoid overload. Concrete phrases, micro-techniques, and drills to use under time pressure in clinical care.Micro‑empathy in medicine: quick cues that build trust without extending the visitPractical micro‑behaviors for clinicians: 2‑second pause with paraphrase, name the emotion, invite 1–2 questions, use teach‑back, and close with a clear plan.How much empathy do doctors have on average? Why medicine can’t answer with a simple numberIn medicine, empathy is attitude, patient perception, and behaviors. Skip single averages—track habits and context. Scripts and quick practice loops included.Gender and specialty differences in medical empathy: facts, practice, and the pitfalls of oversimplificationLearn to read empathy research without stereotyping and apply it: targeted behaviors, visit scripts, teach-back, quick rapport repair.Empathy and fairness in the exam room: how bias damages rapport more than lack of knowledgeBias, not knowledge gaps, erodes rapport. Use a 30‑second equity audit, fairness pause, and brief scripts to curb snap judgments.Empathy in Healthcare: Authentic vs “Scripted” — How Patients Spot Performance vs Real SupportHow to sound genuine under time pressure: micro‑behaviors, 30‑second empathy, replace reassurance with an action plan, and set calm, safe boundaries for care.Empathy as a clinic’s competitive edge: what patients and the data sayHow everyday empathy boosts adherence, cuts complaints, and steadies ops. See the 60‑second standard, lean metrics, and scripts.The Scandinavian standard for empathy in healthcare: clarity, partnership, and a calm tone in conversations with patientsConcrete talk scripts for clinicians: set agendas, summarize, offer trade-offs, and keep a calm tone—even under time and low trust.A doctor’s accent and perceptions of competence: what can a clinic manager do?How should a clinic manager respond to bias against a doctor’s accent? Guidance on conversations with patients, feedback, and assessing performance.The pediatrician’s office: how to talk with a child and parentInvolve both child and parent in pediatric visits: adapt questions to age, explain the examination and check what each person understood.Healthcare staff on a hospital ward: how to conduct bedside roundsHow should staff talk during bedside rounds? Practical guidance on introducing the team, examinations, uncertainty and patient questions.End-of-life care in hospital: how can doctors and nurses discuss differing beliefs?How can doctors and nurses discuss differing beliefs about end-of-life care? The patient’s voice, team consultation and the limits of international research.Running late in clinic: how to communicate delays to lower tension and keep patients saferPractical ways to explain clinic delays: use clear scripts, steady updates, brief reasons, and options so patients stay calm and safe.The Good-Contact Illusion: Intent vs. What Patients HearBridge the gap between clinician intent and what patients hear with a 20‑second agenda, plain language, mindful EHR use, wrap‑ups, and feedback.Consent is more than a signature: how to talk so patients truly know what they’re choosingA practical consent playbook: a 5-step conversation, values questions, no-pressure language, teach-back, clear close, and brief documentation for busy teams.“One more thing, doctor…” How to set the visit agenda and avoid doorway surprisesStop doorway surprises: use a first‑minute agenda, prioritize lists, ask what else, park topics, and leave a closing buffer.Break the silence in the exam room: how to invite patient questions without losing authorityUse brief scripts to welcome patient questions in a 15‑minute visit—ask–tell–ask, paraphrase, pauses, choices, mini lists, and a clear close.