An article by David Batstone at the Worthwhile Magazine website talks about a system that Lolma Olson, a consultant, developed to help a hospital in Minneapolis improve their patient care.
This system, called "First Touch", teaches the health care provider how to build relationships with their patients. First, they have to make a "non-clinical connection" with the patient. This includes actually sitting down with the patient, making good eye contact, and just connecting with them on a basic human level.
The First Touch principles include:
1) Demonstrate that you are being present for the patient at that moment
2) Offer the best of yourself to the best of the people you serve
3) Become less judgmental of those you serve
4) Begin the relationship with a personal greeting and close it with a good-bye (at the end of a session or a shift).
This sounds like something we can all try to do - whether you're in the health care profession or not :)
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