“We’ll see you and Katie on Monday. Take it easy this weekend,” the vet tech says on the other end of the phone. “Thanks,” I say, and my voice can’t escape cracking, and I hang up the phone and cry. It’s Saturday. The Monday appointment will likely have only one outcome. I am standing at […]
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Are you making these 6 mistakes in your cross-cultural communication?
Cross-cultural communication is one of the more critical communication issues in healthcare today. And for good reason. Cross-cultural communication training is helpful to numerous outcomes. And when it’s missing, outcomes suffer. Here are some common pitfalls when it comes to communicating across difference – and what you can do to avoid them. Mistake #1: Forgetting yourself. […]
The easily-overlooked first step in cross-cultural communication
An OB-GYN and I were talking about a recent presentation she’d seen from a leader in her field. I heard in her voice how much she’d enjoyed the presentation, and we spent some significant time talking about it. She was encouraged by this physician’s thoughtful comments on some of the complexities in physician/patient communication. She […]
How cell phones can help you with patients’ health literacy
A medical educator recently gave me some feedback from her students on a talk I’d given: “They thought you had many great points about communicating with patients, and liked the point you made about cell phones.” As a literacy researcher and educator, I have spent years talking with folks about health literacy. My emphasis is on […]
When it feels like a culture gap between you and your patient
I am continuously meeting providers who are seeking out new ways to connect meaningfully with patients. The practitioners I meet want to be able to speak clearly and convincingly to any patient. Even–and especially–when there are significant cultural differences. Some of them have told me they feel like a better doctor when they can share […]
25 different ways to elicit important information
I recently heard a Family Practice Physician comment on the importance of follow-up questions. He mentioned how it’s easy to ask a patient, “Do you smoke?” and if their answer is “no,” to move on to the next issue. He said providers were “missing opportunities for follow up questions,” even though the patient had said […]