White Hot Light
Frank Huyler was different than the other doctor-writers I’d been reading. His patients weren’t named, not even with pseudonyms. They weren’t meticulously described with MFA-honed adjectives. His language seemed ordinary, his sentence structures plain. There was no thesaurus lurking just beyond the page. But it was not a literary laziness. It was a seduction. More
M&M
The body wasn’t even cold when they informed me that I would be presenting the case at M & M. I had never killed anyone before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I mean I had been to M & M before, but never as victim. More
“Medium” review of “When We Do Harm”
This intriguing and jaw-dropping seventeen chapter book, written in a reader-friendly and conversational style, will leave you stunned, angry, and in tears. More
Book Excerpt: Florence Nightingale Turns 200
Florence Nightingale’s medical contributions weren’t just revolutionary, they were prescient, almost to an unsettling degree. It could be argued that Florence Nightingale created the concept of patient safety, More
Book Excerpt: EMR–Boon or Bane?
One of the selling points for the electronic medical record (EMR) was that it would be a boon for patient safety. But EMRs can also worsen medical care and introduce errors. More
AJN review of “When We Do Harm”
Nurses will like this book because Ofri approaches medical error as an issue that physicians and nurses own together. Furthermore, she champions nurse advocacy as essential to preventing errors. More
Booklist review of “When We Do Harm”
An essential read for anyone involved or interested in the care of patients. More
Kirkus review of “When We do Harm”
Thorough analysis of a challenging problem executed with a personal touch that makes it highly readable. More
AJN Review of “What Patients Say, What Doctors Feel”
Can any of us, nurses or physicians, say that we always listen as well as we should, giving each patient’s story our full attention? Like physicians, nurses feel the unrelenting pressure of time constraints. Ironically, such listening can save time in the long run. 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
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
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
Doctors Need Better Communication
When patients speak with their doctor about the symptoms they’re experiencing, miscommunication often gets in the way of proper treatment. Danielle Ofri, an associate professor at the New York University School of Medicine, shared her wisdom about doctor-patient interaction Thursday night to a room full of medical professionals and students More
