“The word presence refers to a purposeful practice of awareness, focus, and attention with the intent to understand and connect with patients.4,5 The interpersonal interactions of clinical care give physicians insight that cannot be garnered from an electronic health record. This gathering of nuanced, personal data (eg, what is important to a patient; how a patient’s symptoms affect her or his life, goals, and preferences for treatment) cultivates respect and trust between patients and physicians and can reduce the miscommunication and oversight that leads to medical error.
The objective of this study was to identify evidence-based practices that foster this time-honored ritual between physicians and patients to create connection, particularly in the first moments of a clinical encounter. To ensure that these measures are useful and easily implemented, the study focused on specific actions, behaviors, and communication strategies that clinicians could easily adopt and utilize in a busy clinical practice.”
More on Practices to Foster Physician Presence and Connection With Patients in the Clinical Encounter by Zulman et al. in Jama Network.
UBC Family Practice Residency Program: Abbotsford-Mission Site 