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How to Handle Difficult Patients and De-Escalate Tense Situations

Smitha Gopal

on

Patient Engagement

Empathy, listening, and education can help

Tense situations and difficult doctor-patient encounters are, unfortunately, not uncommon in health care settings. When patients who are afraid or frustrated interact with medical providers who are tired, overworked, or burned out, the outcome can be unpleasant—and can even lead to malpractice lawsuits or violence. It’s imperative that doctors and staff learn to manage common situations that can arise in any practice. Here are a few examples, from mild to serious, that can frequently occur between doctors and patients. Read More

How the Enneagram Can Improve Your Management Style

Rebecca Lee

on

Practice Management

Use your strengths, improve your weaknesses, and beat burnout using the test results

In a previous post, we discussed the Enneagram, a popular self-assessment tool along the lines of the Myers-Briggs test. By answering questions related to your behavior in certain situations and the motivations behind it, the Enneagram classifies you as one of nine “types.” Check out our last post or The Enneagram Institute web site for descriptions of each type. Read More

Using Decision Aids to Help Patients Make Treatment Decisions

Katie Moyer

on

Technology & the Internet

Interactive tools can increase patient satisfaction and streamline your practice

Patients are more proactive than ever about researching their treatment options and partnering with their doctors to receive the best care possible. The concept of shared decision making (SDM) in health care has been around for a long time, and so has the practice of using patient decision aids (PDAs) such as educational literature, videos, and interactive tools. Yet it’s only fairly recently that their benefits have been studied. “More than 100 published, randomized trials using PDAs have shown many benefits,” according to the Health Affairs blog. Read More

Compounding Pharmacies in Eye Care

Dr. Paul Karpecki

on

Industry News

Making glaucoma medications easier and more affordable

Eyecare practitioners have several options for the drugs we prescribe to patients. First and generally most expensive, there are the branded, proprietary, patented drugs such as Xiidra, Rocklatan, and Vyzulta. Then there are generics—both branded generics and generics with equivalent active ingredients such as latanoprost, which are much less costly to insurance companies and patients. Read More

Do You Need a Side Hustle?

Smitha Gopal

on

Work-Life Balance

Why more doctors are taking on extra jobs and how to find them

Medical school debt is on the rise. Female doctors still consistently earn less than their male colleagues. High stress is causing an epidemic of burnout among medical professionals. For a number of reasons, more doctors are starting “side hustles,” from consulting gigs to advisory roles and more. Read More

What is the Enneagram and How Can it Help Doctors?

Rebecca Lee

on

Practice Management

How a popular self-assessment tool can strengthen your leadership and self-awareness

Chances are, the term “Enneagram” has popped up in your Twitter feed, on a podcast you listened to, or around your dinner table or water cooler at work. Some consider it the new Myers-Briggs. Some embrace it as a spiritual tool. One doctor suggests it as an approach to avoiding burnout. And some people are simply curious about whether the newly popular personality test can help them live better lives. Let’s break down what the Enneagram is and how it can benefit you. Read More