Making ‘Nice’ Can Make a Difference in Patient Outcomes

In the information age, images of the kindly, benevolent physician may conjure up quaint memories of Marcus Welby, but an article just published in The New York Times suggests that the simple act of being nice to patients can improve the prospects for positive outcomes. Authored by a pair of social psychologists from Stanford University, the piece maintains that a warm, reassuring approach to patient interactions, especially when discussing their health, can actually help symptoms resolve more quickly. Take one study referenced as an example: Physicians administered skin-prick tests to 76 research participants. Sometimes the providers kept conversation to a minimum, and with some patients they made a point of reassuring the patients that the rash and irritation from the test was of no concern, and would fade in short order. Even if that reassurance was no more than a single sentence, the subjects who received it reported relief sooner than the patients who got the stoic approach. While terms like “nice” and “warm” are highly subjective, the Times piece mirrors existing research indicating that patients report higher satisfaction with providers who engage them the most, as opposed to paying more attention to their tablet screen throughout a visit. Ultimately, the Stanford authors concluded, “doctor-patient rapport is not just a fluffy, feel-good bonus that boosts Yelp reviews, but a component of medical care that has important effects on a patient’s physical health.”