The value of human connection in health care

Abstract

Copyright: © 2018 The Authors. Published by Archetype Health Pty Ltd.. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. SUMMARY The perfect healthcare policy, one which leads to the best possible outcomes in every case, remains elusive. Throwing money at health care has not led to better results. Most people will seek help with a medical problem for which there is no “cure”. The best that can be offered is symptom management and waiting patiently for the body to heal itself. The quality of the interaction between doctor and patient is what has the greatest bearing on the outcome in an individual case. Forging the most effective connection with the patient involves simply asking more questions. Interrupting less. Remaining curious. Maintaining eye contact. Clarifying. Simplifying. Smiling. Examining. Pausing. It’s not sufficient, but it is necessary.