Don’t Forget the Human Touch (Literally)

Providers have very little time with patients (many of whom they’ve never met before, in the case of urgent care), so it can be easy to disregard the importance of the human touch in the service of “efficiency.” Doing so could be a mistake both clinically and in terms of patient satisfaction, however. A recent article in The New York Times recounts the experience of a woman who was comforted throughout a breast cancer scare by “the thoughtfulness with which [she] was touched,” which “made a real difference in my ability to stay calm.” The article goes on to quote author Paul Stepansky: “Many patients feel that being touched is important in getting better,” he suggests. “Touch promotes trust, not just talking or ordering studies.” Anecdotally, some urgent care practices have heard complaints from patients that their provider “didn’t even touch [them]” during an examination. This may subtly reinforce the speed at which visits have to take place, leaving patients feeling cheated or even disregarded. As the Times article points out, touch may be even more important in the age of the EHR, when physician eye contact may be less than at any other time in history. So, make a point of initiating appropriate physical contact with patients. You may find that it helps establish trust and engender better communication, which ultimately makes your job easier and leaves the patient feeling that they’ve truly been cared for.