title: Putting patients at ease with conversation.
abstract: Is talk really cheap? Definitely not. In fact, our ability to talk, that is to carry on pleasant conversations with others, is one of the most valuable gifts we have to offer. This article suggests that pleasant conversation is one of the best tools for making medical patients feel comfortable and enthusiastic about their appointments and treatment. It offers 10 general rules for good conversation with patients and provides samples of ineffective and effective questions to ask during a conversation. This article also illustrates good and bad ways to respond to compliments and offers suggestions to help you prepare for better conversations. It recommends ways you can use the talents of the expert conversationalists around you to improve your own conversation skills. Finally, this article suggests four tips for keeping your voice pleasant and appealing for conversations with your patients.
authors.affiliation: merlegerle@aol.com
authors.forename: Laura Sachs
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hills
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D005239:Fear; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014481:United States