You went into medicine to help people, but how do you do that when you only have 15 minutes to see each patient? Having unfulfilling patient interactions is a huge contributor to burnout in the medical field. This is why I’m so excited to bring in Dr. Bradley Block to talk about the art of effective communication. Dr. Block is an experienced private practice ENT in Long Island and the creator of the popular Physician’s Guide to Doctoring podcast.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to start creating more fulfilling and meaningful relationships with patients (in a time-efficient manner).
We discuss:
- 2 quick and easy questions to ask patients that instantly build rapport while also assessing their chief complaint.
- How to politely interrupt in a way that actually builds patient trust
- Identifying and fixing the low-hanging fruits of your burnout
This conversation is full of practical gems for improving relationships with patients and developing a more fulfilling career on your terms.
Use the audio player above to listen, or tune in on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
How to Balance Listening and Guiding in Patient Conversations
As a healthcare practitioner, our primary goal is to provide the best care possible to our patients. However, balancing the need to listen to our patients while also guiding the conversation towards the information we need can be a challenge. In this episode, I had the opportunity to discuss this topic with Dr. Bradley Block. Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation.
The Importance of Polite Interruptions
One of the biggest challenges in patient conversations is when patients go on tangents or provide too much information that is not relevant to their care. It’s important to guide the conversation back to what is important for their treatment. However, this should be done politely, and it’s important to let the patient finish what they’re saying. Dr. Block suggests using interruptions as a tool to help patients and informing them why you’re doing it. Patients often give their history in order of urgency, but it’s important to hear a story in chronological order. Interrupting them and asking them to tell their story from the beginning can help you better understand their situation.
Framing the Conversation
Framing the conversation can be a powerful tool in guiding patient conversations. Patients can come to appointments with a lot of information and problems, making it difficult to address everything effectively. Encouraging patients to come prepared with a specific question or problem to discuss can help you both better focus on a solution. This also gives patients a sense of agency and self-efficacy, knowing that they can make a difference in their own care.
Identifying Pain Points
If you’re feeling unfulfilled in your current medical practice, it’s important to identify your pain points and what’s making you miserable. Once you’ve identified these pain points, start with the most easily fixable problems. This can give you a sense of agency and progress, and gradually improve your life and career. You can also consider getting more involved in your institution’s systems to help make it a better place for other physicians.
The Evolving Journey to Fulfillment
Fulfillment is not a static place of perfection but rather a moving target. It’s important to understand that everyone has good days and bad days, and that it’s a work in progress. Dr. Block suggests starting with small improvements and working your way up to larger problems. The key is to keep evolving and trying new things to find what works for you.
Conclusion
Balancing listening and guiding in patient conversations is a difficult but crucial task for healthcare practitioners. By using polite interruptions, putting ourselves in the patient’s shoes, identifying pain points, and creating a patient-centric environment, we can improve communication and provide better care. Remember, we’re here to help our patients, and by focusing on their needs, we can make a difference in their lives.
“That sense of agency is, the biggest part that comes out of all of it. It’s realizing that you can make a difference.”
Dr. Bradley Block
