facilitating not establishes a two-way conversation where you are demeaning. Ask the patient what it is they think they can do, what they want to tackle first, discuss options and then decide on specific targets together. There are often barriers in the way of one’s health, and it is sometimes the goal of the physician to identify those barriers to offer possible, attainable solutions.
Dr. Norris asked students to think about some of the interactions they have had with other healthcare providers. The positive experiences involved physicians leading with the positive, dialoguing, and, in some instances, showing their own vulnerability, or at the very least their humanity. A patient said to her once that if someone says to you that they stopped smoking for two weeks and then started up again, the first thing you should say is, that’s amazing; how did you manage to stop? By shifting the focus from starting smoking to stopping smoking, you are creating a longitudinal relationship where you can be more impactful, because the patient trusts that you aren’t going to chastise them for their efforts.
CONTNUED...
Combating obesity is hard; quitting smoking is hard. In order to counteract these drives, the patients need to buy-in, and to buy-in they need meaningful discourse not mean words.
How does one build relationships through brief encounters? Dr. Norris states, “You connect with people on the things that matter.” Ask about their life. What are they passionate about? Do they have dogs, cats, kids, or do they love to golf, curl or go spelunking? If seeing patients is part of your daily routine, then getting to know them will make your job better. In order to connect with your patients, you need to treat them as people. For the most part, “patients won’t remember what was said but how they felt.” As a physician it is important to resist the binaries: good vs. bad; smoking vs. not smoking. Instead, “know where your magic is… what you are good at.” If you have the ability to connect meaningfully with your patients, then you can have a meaningful impact on their health and wellbeing.