As COVID-19 cases rise nationwide, what’s the best way for doctors and other health care providers to talk with vaccine-hesitant patients? UF Health researchers say the answer is C-LEAR: Counsel, Listen, Empathize, Answer and Recommend.
Beginning and ending the conversation with a strong recommendation is important, say Carma Bylund, Ph.D., Lindsay Thompson, M.D., and Stephanie Staras, Ph.D., in the July 30 issue of MedPage Today.
The timing of the empathy matters, too.
“When a clinician uses empathy in response to a patient’s concerns, it is better received if the clinician expresses empathy before answering the patient’s questions. This timing allows the patient to feel that their particular concerns are taken seriously and have been considered by the clinician.”