In this Empowering Poviders to Empower Patients (EPEP) segment, Dr. Narjust Florez of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School shares how active listening, education, clear communication, and human connection empower patients to become confident partners in their care.
Transcript
Dr. Narjust Florez:
I empower my patients by, first, listening. Listening to your patient is the best thing you can do.
That is giving them the power of sharing how they’re feeling with you, and developing that relationship. I also empower my patients with knowledge and explanations. I’m a big fan of having a piece of paper and drawing things. Because knowledge is power. And empowered patients are patients that know what’s going on. And I provide options, and this is option number one, number two, number three. Based on all of this, I think this is the best option. However, I want you to digest this. Let me know which option works for you. So, listening first, drawing, writing it down, allowing to record.
Calling the daughter, calling the spouse who may have more health literacy, and FaceTime or whatever form it can be is a way to empower patients. Because you are giving them alternative support, additional support. So what is the difference between the X-Men and a human? The difference between an X-Men and a human is something different, something more they have, right? They can control the weather, like Storm. So, an empowered patient and a knowledgeable patient is an X-Men. Because they have something more. They have the confidence to come to me and tell me, I have vaginal dryness. I don’t have enough money for my groceries. That is an empowered patient.
There’s a patient that has superpowers, and there’s a patient that also knows. I had a patient the other day. We went over the side effects, and she had a reaction, and the nurse called me right away.
And I hear my patient in the back telling the nurse, it is okay. This reaction happens in around 10% of patients and is temporary. I didn’t have to say nothing on the phone. The patient had the knowledge to feel comfortable with their reaction, and to teach the nurse. That is an empowered patient, a patient with knowledge. And after that, the story has gone through the infusion center, saying, like, Dr. Florez’s patients know the frequency of the side effects. But it’s knowledge. You write it down. You bring it up, you put it in the fridge. I told my patients, put it in the fridge, so you know.
It’s a very long answer to your short question, but you can provide power to patients in many different ways.
And another final way is to get to know them as humans. This cancer doesn’t define them. They are, and there will be something more than their cancer. So, what do you like to do? I write it in the note, because my memory is good, but, you know, I have hundreds of patients. What do you like to do? What grandkids do you have? Any grandkids coming down the line? Because that strengthens the relationship. And that reminds them that they’re more than their cancer. And when they’re more than their cancer, they feel like doing things outside of their cancer, like going for a walk, going for a date, doing other stuff, going to a show, to a concert.
There are many ways to empower patients. Through active listening, through explanations, educational materials, constant communication. And seeing them as more than their disease. These are the many ways I empower my patients. And I will continue to do it because empowered patients are patients that have better outcomes and have better experience with the healthcare system.