Communication Rx: Transforming Healthcare Through Relationship-Centered Communication

CHAPTER 4

Skill Set Two: Skills That Build Trust

One afternoon, a young woman came to my (Matthew Russell’s) outpatient practice with signs of an upper respiratory infection: runny nose, mild fever, cough, and scratchy throat. After examining her, I confirmed the diagnosis and started talking with her about over-the-counter medications that could provide some relief. The young woman didn’t take kindly to my suggestions. No matter what I offered—even recommendations such as gargling with salt water—she frowned. At one point, she was looking at me so doubtfully that I began to wonder if I had a poppy seed or piece of spinach in my teeth. I finally asked her, “Am I missing something?”

She replied, “Well, I have AIDS.”

This patient had visited our ...