Docsplaining is the subject of a recent Postgraduate Medical Journal viewpoint by Dr. John Launer. Docsplaining, as described, is an endemic issue that characterizes physicians as condescending and uncaring actors in their communication with patients. This paper is worth reading if for nothing else than to illustrate the lens through which some physicians view ... Continue Reading about Docsplaining – An Unfair Generalization of Physicians
Slack – 4 Ways It Will Save Health Care
Chrissy Farr at CNBC has reported that Slack may be posturing for a health care move. Recent changes in the site’s HIPAA compliance suggest that it may be readying to allow providers to share patient information in a clinical environment. I’m thrilled. Why? Physicians have no means of communication. Sounds dramatic? Not really. Or, I should qualify that they have ... Continue Reading about Slack – 4 Ways It Will Save Health Care
Bridging the Doctor Patient Divide to Improve Communication
One of my biggest challenges is bridging the doctor patient divide. It’s the gap that separates the way doctors and patients see a problem. What parents under my care think is typically different from what I think. Their concerns and fears are often removed from the reality of my thinking. That’s not a judgment, it’s a recognition of differences of how we frame and ... Continue Reading about Bridging the Doctor Patient Divide to Improve Communication
The EHR Thank You Crisis
This is awkward but I think we need to stop saying thank you. At least in the EHR. Take the health professional who responds to 25 staff messages per day. With all dutifully addressed in the early afternoon, by the end of the day they’ll often find their inbox full again. And each one with nothing more than a ‘thank you.’ A kind of warm and fuzzy last word in an ... Continue Reading about The EHR Thank You Crisis
How a Language Barrier Creates Opportunity
As a physician in one of the most diverse cities in the United States I often communicate with families with the help of an interpreter. Some see the language barrier as a compromise and a challenge. But it’s really an opportunity. What we fail to achieve with use of words we can bridge with non-verbal communication. Expression, touch, tone, and animation will ... Continue Reading about How a Language Barrier Creates Opportunity
Voalte Phones and the Fantasy of Real-Time Physician Communication
I have a friend who’s a hospitalist. His team carries Voalte phones for communication within the hospital. The Voalte phone is an enterprise mobile device that allows communication by voice and text. For those trying to reach the doctor there is no waiting for a call back after a page. You just call directly. On the surface this seems like it would improve ... Continue Reading about Voalte Phones and the Fantasy of Real-Time Physician Communication