Here's how you can establish rapport and trust with patients.

One thing I've found helpful in establishing rapport and trust with patients in patient advocacy is emphasizing the importance of giving the patient your full attention. This means eliminating distractions, such as putting away electronic devices or finding a quiet space for the conversation. It's important to maintain eye contact and use open body language to convey your attentiveness and interest in what the patient has to say. Listen to the patient without interrupting and allow them to express themselves fully. Encourage them to share their thoughts, concerns, and feelings, and provide them with a safe and non-judgmental space to do so. Show empathy and understanding by acknowledging their emotions and validating their experiences

Being a good listener is essential to promoting trust and establishing a good rapport with patients. In my experience, people want to feel like they are heard. Patient’s that are upset usually just want to feel like someone is listening and taking their concerns seriously.

Be honest about the situation and never lie to the patient. Create a rapport with the patient to ensure their safety is your priority. Include the patient in all decisions so they are aware of what they are agreeing to.

Establish rapport and trust with patients by actively listening to their concerns, showing empathy, and respecting their autonomy. Use open and nonjudgmental communication to foster a comfortable environment. Educate patients about their conditions and involve them in decision-making processes. Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, and compassion in every interaction. Follow through on commitments and address any issues promptly to build confidence in your care.

Being fully present with patients—engaging with their stories, fears, and hopes—is the essence of patient-centered care. In my practice as a Doctor of Nursing Practice, this holistic approach allows me to validate patient concerns, empowering them and uncovering aspects of their healthcare journey often overlooked in routine consultations. Cultivating an atmosphere of empathy, where patients' narratives guide the therapeutic relationship, transforms them from passive recipients to active partners in their health. As healthcare providers, we must nurture our empathy, reflect on our experiences and biases, and embrace interprofessional collaboration to reinforce this supportive environment.

Imagine you are a patient advocate working in a hospital, & you encounter a patient who has been recently diagnosed with cancer. He or she is feeling overwhelmed, scared, and unsure about his/her treatment options. You can and should (in this case) utilise empathy to establish rapport and trust with the patient. By demonstrating empathy, active listening, validation of feelings, sharing personal stories (if appropriate), providing information and support, empowering collaboration, and offering continued support, you can establish a strong rapport and trust with patients as a patient advocate. This not only helps to alleviate their fears & anxieties but also enhances their overall experience and outcomes in navigating the healthcare system.

Professional display of ethics and courtesy enables empathy. It's neither a flash nor a noise. We need to listen and support in the positive sense.

Empathy in my practice goes beyond a tool; it's a bridge to understanding the multifaceted aspects of a patient's life that affect their health. When I say, "I understand that must be difficult," with sincerity, it changes the patient's healthcare experience from one of isolation to partnership. This approach has often been crucial in uncovering aspects of a patient's history they may initially hesitate to share. For instance, a patient came in for routine hypertension management and ended up revealing struggles with anxiety after feeling the safe, empathic environment we created. These revelations are pivotal not only for managing specific health issues like blood pressure but for their overall well-being.

Displaying empathy is so important in healthcare. I completely agree about differentiating empathy and feeling sorry for the person (sympathy). I think a lot of people get these confused thinking they’re the same. It is important not to ignore the patient’s feeling and just pity them. Acknowledge the patient’s experience and express understanding. Even if it’s just to let them know you’re there to support them - it makes difference. Listening and being present conveys empathy.

Empathy is the ability to understand the patient’s situation, perspective, and feelings. It allows one to deliver more personalized patient care. The empathetic health care giver communicates and acts on their understanding of the patient.

My routine is to knock, ask for permission to come into room, and shake their hand while introducing myself. There is something very powerful about the human touch. It makes them feel normal, accepted. I then look at their armband, validating their name and birthdate. So, this is an opportunity for a connection. If their birthday falls in December, I share stories about my wife's birthday being on December 23rd and the challenges that has brought to her life, most times only one present for birthday and Christmas. Then I ask how they are doing, uninterrupted. Sitting at the bedside for even a short while demonstrates that you are not rushed. Offering a prayer before leaving also helps patients and families cope in these situations as well.

In my role as a Nurse Practitioner, every patient encounter is a chance to affirm their uniqueness and humanity, deepening our therapeutic alliance and enhancing the quality of care. For example, I once worked with a patient struggling with chronic pain who also juggled being a single mother. By understanding her daily challenges and responsibilities, we developed a management plan that fit seamlessly into her life. This plan addressed her physical symptoms while honoring her role and enhancing her sense of control and resilience. These experiences underscore the importance of personal connections in healthcare; it's not just about treating ailments but touching lives.

I employ the "teach-back" method in my practice, asking patients to explain back the concepts or plans in their words, ensuring understanding and allowing for clarification. I also use visual aids like diagrams, especially useful for chronic conditions such as diabetes, to illustrate how lifestyle impacts health. Additionally, I dedicate time for patient questions at each visit's end, which helps uncover their deeper concerns and understanding. Continuously, I learn from my patients' feedback to refine my communication skills, enhancing clarity and effectiveness in our interactions.

One thing I have found helpful is paying attention to their medical knowledge or lack there of and use that assessment to create education based on what will best be understood by the patient. Their background in life helps create an understanding of how to assure you are providing the information in a beneficial format for each patient. I strongly agree with patient centered care and education is a huge part of that.

I would like to add that it is important to be realistic and set your client up for realistic time frames. Feedback may take some time. Not all physicians have the time to check their mails every hour and it's controlled by reception. This needs to be explained to your client. Sometimes you may have recieved feedback though you need to first paraphrase the content into lay terms for easier understanding. With some feedback you might need to refer to other departments to get extra information. Just keep your client informed that you are following the steps and this is where you are and a predicted end date. Just be realistic.

Enhancing accessibility and follow-through strategies work when the patient portal allows direct communication, streamlines interactions, and ensures continuity of care. Each patient visit concludes with a summary note detailing discussed points, plans, and next steps, keeping both parties informed and accountable. I set clear expectations for follow-ups, informing patients of when and how they will hear from me and maintaining this schedule reliably. Any delays are communicated promptly to manage expectations effectively. Team coordination is crucial when staff mirrors this commitment to care and responsiveness.

Consistent support needs to be extended not only to the patients but the families as well. More often than not patient’s have little to no complaints while the family’s find fault with this that or the other. Patient’s get regular conversation and care while the family members who visit hardly get a chance to know the staff as they are occupied with their loved one. Staff making them selves available for questions or even just lending an ear can make all the difference in the feelings of loved ones.

Respecting a patient's privacy is a fundamental aspect of trust-building in patient advocacy. While it can be easy to fall prey to the "add data points now, add end points later" mentality, it's crucial to ensure that sponsors and investigators clearly understand what they plan to do with each data point they collect. Establishing and maintaining robust processes to protect Personal Health Information (PHI) is essential. Additionally, it's important to communicate transparently with participants about the data they provide, explaining clearly how it will be used, for how long, and who will have access to it. This approach not only safeguards privacy but also fosters trust and confidence in the advocacy process.

While working for a telemedicine company, we would come across many instances where the parents of young adults would request medical information. We would explain the importance of patient privacy and assure them that they would also receive the same patient privacy if they were our patient. Explaining to them that this privacy is important to all, created an understanding of how important our patients privacy truly is. Although they are the parent, their child is the one who decides what medical information they will share. Building the trust and integrity we held in regards to patient privacy creates a place of comfort and safety for the patient. It is of high priority!

In the realm of pediatrics, prioritizing the child’s well-being is paramount. It’s distressing to acknowledge that instances of parental or caregiver harm to children occur more frequently than one might assume. Failing to recognize child abuse and neglect is both tragic and inexcusable. Shockingly, in 2021 alone, an estimated 1,820 children lost their lives due to abuse inflicted by those entrusted with their care.

If you are able to, remembering little things about your patient as you're taking care of them boosts their trust and rapport. Something small can go a long way if you're taking care of the same patient over more than one day. Remembering their favorite drink or food, their favorite show, ect. Tiny things that make them know you're paying attention and you care.