49 I Reflective, Equitable Communication to Address Power in Language w/ Dr. Anne Marie Liebel (Part 2)

Healthcare for Humans

Summary:

We continue our series Dr. Anne Marie Liebel, founder of Health Communication Partners. We delve into the pressures faced by clinicians to be perfect and resolve issues quickly, exploring how this impacts patient care. Dr. Anne Liebel discusses the cultural legacy of paternalistic medicine and the deficit perspective that assumes patients are lesser than clinicians. Dr. Raj Sundar suggests redefining terms like "vulnerable" to "historically exploited" to enable self-definition. Our conversation highlights the power dynamics in patient-physician relationships, the critical role of language in shaping thoughts and behaviors, and the importance of shared decision-making. We emphasize that patients' language and culture should be valued and discuss the need to shift from one-size-fits-all approaches to individualized care. Reflecting on communication, we consider the physical, emotional, psychological, and cultural aspects crucial for effective patient interactions. Dr. Liebel encourages clinicians to employ metaphors and create context-specific language while also emphasizing the potential for relief and transformation through reflective practice and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Overview:

• Addressing pressure on clinicians to be perfect and the cultural legacy of paternalistic medicine.
• Discussing the deficit perspective and the issue of othering in healthcare.
• Exploring power dynamics in patient-physician relationships and the significance of language.
• Shifting terminology from "vulnerable" and "marginalized" to "historically exploited."
• Importance of shared decision-making and acknowledging asymmetric power dynamics.
• Challenges posed by inherited systems in medical communication.
• Necessity to consider physical, emotional, psychological, and cultural contexts in patient care.
• Utilizing communication research to improve teaching, learning, and shared decision-making.
• Reflecting on the empowerment of creating language based on patient context.
• Emphasizing the metaphor of construction for building patient relationships and the end of the interview.

Key Sources

• Health Communication Partners
• Equitable Patient Education
• Equitable Communication

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