“Let Me See If I Have This Right …”: Words That Help Build Empathy

Abstract

Medical Writings7 August 2001"Let Me See If I Have This Right …": Words That Help Build EmpathyJohn L. Coulehan, MD, Frederic W. Platt, MD, Barry Egener, MD, Richard Frankel, PhD, Chen-Tan Lin, MD, Beth Lown, MD, and William H. Salazar, MDJohn L. Coulehan, MDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902, Frederic W. Platt, MDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902, Barry Egener, MDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902, Richard Frankel, PhDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902, Chen-Tan Lin, MDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902, Beth Lown, MDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902, and William H. Salazar, MDDr. Coulehan: State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036Dr. Platt: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Egener: American Academy on Physician and Patient; Portland, OR 97210Dr. Frankel: Highland Hospital; Rochester, NY 14620Dr. Lin: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80222Dr. Lown: Mount Auburn Hospital; Cambridge, MA 02238Dr. Salazar: Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, GA 30902Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-135-3-200108070-00022 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Consider these two physician–patient dialogues:1. Patient: You know, when you discover a lump in your breast, you kind of feel—well