Improving communication with older patients: tips from the literature.

noncommercial use of one individual user. All other rights reserved. Contact [email protected] for copyright questions and/or permission requests. The Art of Medicine: Seven Skills That Promote Mastery • Advances in the science of medicine have not diminished the importance of the art of medicine. • Before entering the consultation room, take a moment to personally prepare for the encounter. • Use the first few minutes of the consultation to connect with the patient both interpersonally and intellectually. • Consider how the patient is responding to his or her illness and suffering e.g., with hope or with despair. • When you communicate with patients, be authentic, show that you value them as a person, and be sensitive to what they are expecting. • Appropriate physical touch can help calm distraught or anxious patients and may even have health benefits. • Humor can also be an effective way to establish rapport and relieve anxiety during a patient encounter. • The key with both touch and laughter is to be sensitive to the patient's level of comfort and use discernment. • To display empathy, make an explicit comment about the patient's feelings or experiences. • Patient-centered communication has been shown to improve outcomes, increase satisfaction, and decrease liability.