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Written and Reviewed by Reed Tinsley | July 8, 2008
You foster loyalty with patients well before anyone might consider the possibility of a disappointing outcome. From the very first encounter with patients and families, effective physicians take every opportunity to build a lasting relationship.
When unfortunate events happen, the acts of hearing, emphasizing with emotions, and asking for the patients' perspectives rebuild the trust that allows patients to integrate answers that make a complete, healing story they can accept for themselves. By acknowledging patients' disappointment and offering genuine sympathy, you become a partner, rather than an adversary, in their sometimes painful journeys.
