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.
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A Medical Humanist’s Notes
CCM co-founder, Celia Engel Bandman, created the blog “A Medical Humanist’s Notes” to explore the lived world of illness and how improved communication can lead patients, healthcare professionals and loved ones to an informed and empathetic course of treatment.
Artificial Intelligence and Empathy: Are They Compatible?
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...
The Power of Questions
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...
Is There a Right Time to Withhold Difficult Medical News?
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...
Can Writing Help With PTSD?
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...
What Does Cancer Screening Tell Us?
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...
Can a Low-Tech Tool Improve Healthcare Delivery?
We are all grateful for high-tech innovations in medical science. In a recent blog I spoke about the benefits of artificial intelligence in helping doctors make accurate diagnoses and develop more effective treatment plans. Despite these advances in technology, a...
Will Artificial Intelligence Replace My Doctor?
There is little doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is going to have a profound effect on healthcare delivery. This technology has the potential to improve medical diagnoses and treatment planning. AI can also generate documentation for medical records and save...
WRITING IS GOOD MEDICINE
Center for Communication in Medicine co-founder Celia Engel Bandman developed Writing is Good Medicine® while serving as a “medical humanist” at a cancer center in Vermont. Workshops were designed for patients, loved ones and medical professionals to help explore the experience of those living with illness and those caring for them.