title: One cold autumn day.
abstract: Behavioral change is at the heart of effective primary care, but when patients don't change, how do we account for our days? In this personal essay, I relate an encounter with a patient who wants to quit smoking, lose weight, and control her diabetes. I am discouraged when she deflects my recommendations, but a colleague's comment encourages a deeper inquiry. Knowing the patient's story and deepening the conversation, however, do not guarantee change. The experience reminds me why patience, humility, and faith are core values of the primary care physician.
authors.affiliation: Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center, Fairbanks, Alaska Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah p_de_schweinitz@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Schweinitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032763:Behavior Control / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*