Articles & Media
Why Medicine Needs Poetry
“When patients come to us with headache, and stomach pain, and foot pain, and 300 other issues, they are really speaking in metaphor. We may call it somatization disorder, or write them off as “complainers,” but in fact, it is metaphor. To be skilled clinicians—and to get the right diagnosis—we must be able to interpret our patients’ metaphors.” More
Healthcare’s Biggest Conflict of Interest
The doctor-patient relationship is a one-on-one interaction, and so conflicts of interest are concrete and directly personal. Medical decisions can be swayed by money, even unconsciously, regardless of whether it’s from insurance companies or from industry. But the most basic conflict of interest is that health care access is tied to health insurance. Presence or absence or extent of health insurance is the most powerful influence on how doctors care for patients. More
BMJ review of “What Patients Say, What Doctors Feel”
It is the oldest tool in any doctor’s bag, and it is as important today as it was 200 years ago. It is not a device, gadget or pill. The side-effects are minimal, and it’s amongst the cheapest remedies around. It is, of course, the art of conversation More
Intima review of “What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear”
In a time when technology seems to outpace humanity, many in the medical profession are trying to bridge the communication gap. One indicator is the growing recognition of the importance of stories – personal narratives of patients and doctors – as a key component of successful medical practice. More
A Singular Intimacy
Despite enormous advances in healthcare, patients and caregivers alike are dissatisfied with their experience. So much of medicine has been boiled down to rote algorithms and assembly-line care. Seeking inspiration from the gripping narratives of urban medicine to the unlikely poetry of the ICU, Danielle Ofri probes the most fundamental aspect of medical care—how caregivers and patients connect. More
POTUS 2017 TV Interview
Is there a difference between calling an insurance company about a prior authorization and calling a Senator about legislation? Danielle talks about why doctors and nurses need to stand up politically for their patients. More
Interview on WKPCC radio
Should doctors and nurses be politically active? Is there a conflict of interest? Is it okay for medical professionals to discuss politics with their patients? Listen to a discussion of the ethical issues of medical activism. More
Interview on WBYU Radio about Healthcare Reform
Are doctors and nurses ethically obligated to stand up against a law if they think it will harm their patients? Danielle talks to Julie Rose about the formation of HouseCallsCampaign, a grassroots effort to encourage medical professionals to call Congress and give their medical opinions. More
#HouseCallsCampaign
Asking all nurses, doctors, and medical professionals to call their senators and let them know how the proposed healthcare legislation will affect their patients. #HouseCallsCampaign More
Time for the Medical Profession to Stand Up
Advocating for patients is as much a part of medical care as the medical care itself. Should that advocacy, however, extend beyond the doctor’s office, when politics has palpable effects on patients’ health? Most doctors see an intrinsic distinction between calling an insurance company and calling a senator. But in terms of our patients’ health, there is a moral argument that they are equivalent More
Doctors say one thing, patients often hear something else
It really is amazing how powerful our words can be in shaping people’s health outcomes. We need to better understand how even a small difference in the way something is said can have immense benefits for the health of our patients. More
The prescription for better health outcomes: communication
Danielle Ofri talks with Kerri Miller, host of Minnesota Public Radio about how doctor-patient communication has (or has not) evolved over the years, and how this affects medical outcomes. More
It’s Time for a Single-Payer Plan
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised better health care at a lower cost that would include everyone. Although he almost certainly did not realize it, he was promoting an idea of universal health care that could only be achieved by a single-payer plan. More
2017 World Science Festival
Join Danielle for a free event at the 2017 World Science Festival in NYC. Danielle will be in conversation with journalist Susannah Meadows as part of the Science and Story Cafe. Book signing to follow. More
Audiophile Review of “What Patients Say, What Doctors Feel” audiobook
Narrator Ann M. Richardson shares Ofri’s research and perspective with a personal touch. Richardson’s narration is upbeat, with concern in her voice when necessary, matching the best-case scenario for a doctor’s voice. Her narration can shift in tone adeptly. As she discusses the medical jargon for death–“expired”–her voice captures the absurdity of the euphemism, then becomes somber as she explains the fears behind the euphemism. One can occasionally even hear the lump in her throat as she reads a grim prognosis. More
