A pioneer in defining the role of medical humanist; Ms. Bandman is a writer, co-founder of the Center for Communication in Medicine and co-author of CCM’s signature tool, SpeakSooner®: A Patient’s Guide to Difficult Conversations.
Information is everywhere but effective communication is more elusive. In this recent blog, Celia describes an exchange when presenting to a group of oncology fellows which highlights the challenges of honest and open communication between patients and their...
For over thirty years, Celia has been writing A Medical Humanist's Notes, her blog that explores the lived world of illness and how improved communication can lead patients, healthcare professionals and loved ones to an informed and empathetic course of...
As readers know, the focus of my work has been to develop programs and tools to improve healthcare communication and quality of care. In an essay by primary care physician Dr. Rebecca Ann Levine, she describes her approach to opening conversations with older patients...
When I first heard the term “behavioral economics” it didn’t get my attention. I assumed it had to do with marketing, not related to my interest in healthcare communication. Then I read an article about the role of behavioral economics in primary care (Using...
The primary focus of my role as a medical humanist has been to help patients prepare to open conversations with healthcare providers about their health status and planning of care. I can recall instances when I was working at the cancer center in Bennington when...
In my work as a medical humanist, I’ve witnessed how healthcare professionals’ empathic communication skills can improve a patient’s understanding of their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment options. Now, to my surprise, a recent study shows “chatbot-generated...
As I go through papers stacked on my office shelves, I heed Virginia Woolf’s words about paying attention to the “diamonds in the dustheap.” Just the other day I found a questionnaire used at a 2016 workshop that we organized to provide feedback on the original...
There is no prescribed timing for when to share difficult medical news. This can be as true for doctors with their patients as it is for patients with loved ones. There can be many reasons for withholding medical information, including doctors avoiding uncomfortable...
I was not surprised to learn about a recent study at a VA Hospital that showed veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) benefitted from a writing program. Needless to say, there are many who served in the military who experienced psychological traumas that...
Cancer is an especially frightening disease. To “catch it early” we have come to rely on screening tests such as a mammogram, PSA, and colonoscopy. Whether a physician recommends a test or we learn about it through advertisements, we have come to believe that early...
