My grandmother recently went into hospice care. At 94, she has lived a longer, richer life than probably most of us will ever hope to. Given the nature of the work I do, end of life care is not a topic I’m unfamiliar with. Initially, I spent a lot of time asking my mother probing questions about the care my grandmother was receiving. I imagine I did this partly out …
The parallel world of hospice care
Today’s healthcare consumers are increasingly asked to take a more participatory role in their care. For many this is a daunting task – even if the patient desires being in the driver’s seat. There are a myriad of issues undermining patient-physician communication – such as time constraints, lack of comfort with the subject matter, lack of shared language, or even fear – that can make the task of …
Patients need to overcome the fear of asking questions
Today’s healthcare consumers are increasingly asked to take a more participatory role in their care. For many this is a daunting task, even if the patient relishes the role. There are a myriad of issues undermining patient-physician communication – such as time constraints, lack of comfort with the subject matter, lack of shared language, or even fear – that can make the task of being an empowered patient …
Both patients and physicians need to communicate in the exam room
A while back, my brother-in-law was experiencing low back pain and my sister told me that the doctor had diagnosed it as a “herniated disc.” The conversation eventually evolved into a discussion about the difference between a “herniated” disc and a “ruptured” disc. My position was that ruptured was worse; my sister’s that they were the same thing. Since inquiring minds want to know these things, I decided to look …
Shared language between doctors and patients
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