Put relationship-centered communication at the forefront of care

Today, physicians face a hypercompetitive marketplace in which they must meet unique and complex patient needs as efficiently as possible. But in a culture prioritizing clinical outcomes above all, there can be a tendency to lose sight of one of the most critical aspects of providing effective care: the communication skills that build and foster physician-patient relationships.

Studies have shown that good communication between doctors and patients and among all caregivers who interface with...