Empathy. It’s something all of us would agree is a valuable—and often missing—component of care. So when
“Getting Doctors And Patients On The Same Page” Community Forum
Identifying barriers and solutions to effective communication between patients and healthcare providers was the topic of CCM’s community forum presented on March 12 in Woodstock, VT. In a presentation to community members and healthcare professionals, CCM founders Dr. Bernard Bandman and Celia Engel Bandman cited studies that show how avoiding discussion of difficult medical subjects—such […]
Hope As A Vital Sign
Doctors caring for patients facing incurable illness often feel pressure to come up with a “miracle” treatment. But what if
Radio Show Highlights SpeakSooner Initiative
The launch of SpeakSooner.org was the topic of discussion on “From My Corner,” a talk show that aired February 26 on WBTN, a southern Vermont radio station. Listeners heard CCM founders Dr. Bernard Bandman and Celia Engel Bandman describe the development of the Difficult Conversations video and workbook, which the SpeakSooner.org website combines to offer […]
Teaching What Is Un-Teachable
Poet Emily Dickinson called death “the only One You cannot find out all about.” While modern medical education
Inviting Doctors to Tell Difficult Truths
“There’s almost always, in every medical circumstance, one more thing we can try,” says Dr. Julie Bynum. But
A New Goal: To Thrive
In my last post, I asked whether a message of constant “positivity” might be silencing for patients who might need
Can “Positivity” Be Silencing?
Nicole Haran’s “Do Great” video features cancer survivors declaring their desire to hear “you will do great.”
“It’s Treatable, But Not Curable”
I recently spoke with two physicians about what patients understand the words “treatable” and “incurable” to mean.
Will Accessing Lab Results Cause More Stress, or Less?
If waiting for test results can be stressful, having direct or immediate access to them poses its own challenges.