“All healthcare is delivered through relationships.”  This is the key statement from this episode of OWZ and highlights that effective communication is a key component of delivering excellent patient care. Marissa Theofanides, MD is a urologist at Montefiore in the Bronx and expert in communication skills.  She is certified by the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (https://achonline.org/) whose motto is “Better Communication. Better Relationships. Better Care.”  In this podcast, we help you understand that communication is a skill – a skill that can be taught, practiced, and improved upon just like throwing a suture or writing a clinic note.  Dr. Theofanides lays out a framework to improve your clinic communications that is rooted in mindfulness!  Setting an agenda, creating space for effective communication, and assessing understanding highlight the mindful principles of intention, presence, and non-judgement.  There’s lots of practical knowledge in this discussion and it promises to make your clinical interactions and your life better!  Enjoy!!!

Academy of Communication in Healthcare (ACH): https://achonline.org/