Abigail Beckel

Let’s face it: Like everyone else, physicians don’t always say the right things. “Do you always weigh that much?” is an example that we heard about, um, 

. And when we polled for cringe-worthy comments, a few physicians teased, “Huh, where’d my watch go?” and “Which leg are we operating on?”

But there are less obvious and more insidious phrases that find their way into physician-patient interactions and eat away at patient confidence. Good patient care requires good communication as much as well-honed clinical skills.

Here’s your guide to six common phrases physicians too often say to patients, but shouldn’t:

Six things to NEVER say to a patient

Slideshows

Here’s your guide to six common phrases physicians too often say to patients.


Amid the stresses of running a medical practice, it’s sometimes hard to remember the reasons you went into medicine, let alone expend the extra energy to keep your patients happy. But keeping your patients smiling is good for your wallet and your psyche. Happy patients keep coming back and will recommend you to friends and family, and don’t underestimate the power that cheerful patients have to make your day and the atmosphere of your office more pleasant.

The good news is that you don’t have to don a clown suit to make them smile. Mostly it comes down to respecting your patients as people with names and schedules and worries.

Here are seven small but mighty ways you can make your patients happy they chose your practice:

Tips to Make Your Patients Smile

Articles

Amid the stresses of running a medical practice, it’s sometimes hard to find the time to keep your patients happy. But keeping your patients smiling is good for your wallet and your psyche.

Ten reasons to be happy you’re a doctor

We know it’s tough out there. So many physicians are feeling 

, overworked, and out of breath that, judging from our mail, one might think that being a doctor is not one of the world’s coolest things to be. But it is - really.

Don’t believe us? Check out our list of reasons.

7 reasons to be happy you’re in primary care

Looking for the positive in the pandemic. 