Building therapeutic relationships with patients

Abstract

To foster a closer connection with patients, it is essential to employ three complementary strategies that prioritize the needs and concerns of patients as they define them. These strategies enable clinicians to nurture and enrich the clinician-patient relationship, resulting in improved care provision. Clinicians can enhance their practice by implementing an organized and systematic approach that recognizes each patient as a distinct individual. In addition to the conventional organ-specific review of systems taught in medical school, clinicians can adopt a "mini patient’s review" that focuses on understanding and addressing the unique preferences, values, and needs of each patient. This complementary approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the patient's healthcare requirements and facilitates personalized care delivery. Clinicians have the opportunity to expand their perspective beyond individual patients by utilizing survey instruments and other tools that encourage patients to provide collective feedback on their clinical experiences. This valuable feedback can offer reliable and valid insights into crucial aspects of doctors' individual practices. Furthermore, by comparing patients' experiences at a regional and national level, clinicians can gain a broader understanding of their performance and identify areas for improvement. Clinicians and patients have the opportunity to collaborate and actively participate in shaping treatment plans by sharing information. With the aid of electronic health records and secure patient portals, which are becoming more prevalent, achieving a shared understanding and alignment in healthcare decisions is becoming increasingly feasible. This technological advancement enables clinicians and patients to access and exchange information more efficiently, facilitating a collaborative approach to healthcare management.