If communicating across difference is important to you, we have an exciting announcement: My cat will be the new host of this show!
Listen here and read the transcript below.
If communicating across cultural and social difference is important to you, we have an exciting announcement in this episode!
Hi everybody. I’m Dr. Anne Marie Liebel. This is “10 Minutes to Better Patient Communication” from Health Communication Partners, an independent health-equity focused education and communication consultancy. If your organization needs expert help with any topic in this series, visit healthcommunicationpartners.com.
Today’s episode sponsored by Maven Roth Group. Maven Roth is a progressively strong, women-owned creative agency. From designing images, reports, logos, templates, and social graphics for your organization, to spreading the word thru digital, print, billboards, radio and television, Maven Roth has you covered, all the way to media buying and management. Visit mavenroth.com today.
Now I promised We have an exciting announcement and here it is! This series will now be hosted by my cat Barley. I will be turning over the hosting of this show to her.
You may know she’s contributed at HCP before, with her self care tips, links in notes. What you might not know is she herself is a talented, persuasive communicator especially when she’s hungry. She has a very strong track record with greeting people at the door and making them feel comfortable. And particularly valuable for this series, Barley has years of experience communicating across difference, in this case species, height, opposable digits. I believe she has managed to learn more English than I have learned cat. Yet she has never once judged me for not being able to speak cat, although it means more work for her when it comes to communication.
She is also tech savvy. For example, when I was writing my dissertation, she walked across the keyboard, selected a large block of print, and changed it to Greek, all in keystrokes. I don’t even know how to do that. She’s been my assistant all these years and now it’s time for her to shine!
Barley has prepared a statement and I will read it to you now:
“Dear humans,
On behalf of cats everywhere, I would like to thank Anne Marie for this opportunity. Hosting a podcast series as well established and respected as 10min to better patient communication will be an honor and a thrill. Though I am a cat, it is important to me that humans communicate effectively about matters of their health. This may come as a surprise, but allow me to explain.
You see, few things in this world are more important to my everyday life, or make me as happy, as gushy food from a can. The can-opening abilities of cats have never been strong. But humans, you excel in this area. In fact, I have come to depend on humans and their can-opening abilities for my health and happiness. Therefore it is in my own best interests to ensure that you humans communicate with each other openly, and honestly about your health, so you may live long and continue producing, buying, and opening gushy food for me.
I considered briefly rebranding this as a podcat series, but I was told that joke wasn’t even funny. So I assure you, I will bring the same seriousness of purpose to the hosting duties of this show that I bring to my own dinnertime.
This show matches many of my core commitments. For instance, you may have heard our episode with veterinarian Dr. Jane Shaw and how important your human conversations are for us pets. Dr. Shaw focuses on communication in veterinary/client/patient interactions, and I appreciate this episode deeply even though it is about a dog.
One of the things that Dr. Shaw said is the communication that the pet owner client has with the veterinary professional has important emotional effects on the client. This was the subject of another episode we did, this one about my late cat sister Katie, so please have a listen. I’ll put links in the show notes. It’s true, Katie and I never really saw eye to eye, but credit where it’s due, she was a good communicator.
My vision for the show includes taking more naps. And we have done an episode in this spirit, where we talk about one non-strenuous thing you can do to promote health equity, and that’s take a break. If you need convincing to take a break, we even give you 5 reasons why you should hit pause now and again. Really!
I have learned a few things about you humans in my twelve years. You wear very interesting clothes and eat very interesting food. But you’re more than just your quirks.
You do your part. You hang in there, like many of my cat predecessors bravely encouraged you to do on those cute posters. Cats are creatures of habit and so I respect the fact that you handle change well! You find your own ways forward, a step at a time sometimes. It’s ok to be tired, everyone. This is a cat telling you to take a nap.
For you humans it seems relationships are everything. You look after each other, you help each other. You connect. You make each other laugh!
You have grudges which as a cat I can identify with, but you get over them. You forgive each other, eventually.
You also work too hard! You also worry too much! You also spend too much time on your machines!
But you’re fun and you know how to have fun. Do it more! Playtime is also on my personal agenda. From this cat’s perspective, you have much to be happy about.
Though now I’m going to be the all-powerful host of a popular podcast series, I am still that rescue who fears small children and garbage trucks. I will be the bravest scaredy cat I can, and keep helping you humans communicate across difference, and connect to each other, through this show.
Thank you. Barley.”
Well thank you Barley, for that message. I’m so excited about where she’s going to take the show, and what we have to look forward to from her.
This has been 10 Minutes to Better Patient Communication from Health Communication Partners. Audio engineering and music by Joe Liebel. I’m Dr. Anne Marie Liebel.
