The Golden Ten Seconds of Patient Care, Improving Patient and Physician Interaction

Written by Nabil Ebraheim, MD and Molly Ebraheim What are the golden ten seconds of patient care? The first few seconds of the interaction between a physician and patient are very important. The golden ten seconds of patient care is the first interaction between the patient and the physician. The patient will make a decision within the first 10 seconds if they like and trust their doctor based on body language and unspoken words. During this critical time the patient determines their perception of you as a physician or a health care provider. The following information is designed to teach physicians about the first 10 seconds of patient care and suggest what can be done to improve patient's perceptions. Every patient relationship begins at first sight. How we appear to the patient when we enter the exam room is an important aspect of the patient's perception for the entire visit. From the moment we enter the exam room, the patient is watching how we present ourselves. Enter the patient's room with a big smile and introduce yourself. Express joy and confidence, showing the patient that you are happy to see them and ready to treat their problem. Avoid appearing frozen or nervous. When you enter the patient's room, enter with an open position. Be aware of your body language and avoid appearing to have a closed attitude. It is important to shake the patient's hand. When you walk into the patient's exam room, offer a quality handshake to the patient. A standard fir...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news