"What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear" (Encore Presentation)

This edition of StudioTulsa Medical Monday is a replay from early February. At that time, we spoke with Dr. Danielle Ofri, an associate professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine who has cared for patients at Bellevue Hospital for more than two decades. She told us about her book, "What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear." As was noted of this book by Kirkus Reviews, it shows us "why communication between doctor and patient is the most critical element of medical care.... [Ofri's] revealing doctor-patient stories often make her seem like the doctor that every patient wishes they had, and she draws on patient accounts to illustrate the problems that can arise in communication between doctor and patient. This book, however, goes far beyond Ofri's personal experiences with patients. She delves into the relevant research on communication, citing some ingenious experiments on listening. Studies show that the better the listener, the better the speaker, and listening is one of the hardest skills that a doctor has to master. But it can be taught, and Ofri reports that medical schools across the country are developing formal curricula to that end." Please note that you can access a free, on-demand audio-stream of this interview here.