Balancing Care With Conversation: A Guide to Discussing Sensitive Current Events

There are many divisive issues in the world. Currently our country is navigating significant division in our own government. We’re anticipating a polarizing presidential election. We hear much about wars overseas, and note worldwide impacts as a result.  

As a podiatrist, you are in the unique position of talking with your patients while delivering treatment. As a result, you get to know your patients well. You discuss their family and know where their kids go to school. You celebrate life milestones with them and mourn a loved one’s passing with them.

Frequently, you will find that sensitive current events may intersect with your role as a healthcare provider, challenging you to maintain professionalism while showing empathy. Whether it’s a global pandemic, political unrest, or societal issues, these events can significantly affect both you and your patients.

As a physician, it’s crucial to navigate these conversations carefully, ensuring you provide support without compromising your neutrality. Many patients look to you for more than just medical advice; in my experience, they often see you as a source of comfort and stability during turbulent times. I feel it is vital to strike a delicate balance between being empathetic to their concerns and maintaining a professional stance that respects the diverse opinions and backgrounds of all patients.

It’s not about ignoring the elephant in the room, but rather understanding how to address the elephant appropriately. Being informed about current events is essential, but it’s just as important to recognize when and how to discuss them. You’ve got to listen actively, provide factual information when necessary, and know how to redirect the conversation back to the patient’s health and well-being.

Understanding the Impact of Current Events on Patients

You are likely aware that current events can significantly affect your patients’ emotional and psychological well-being. It’s your role as a physician to recognize these effects and provide support without overstepping boundaries. Balancing empathetic care with professional discretion is key when these sensitive topics arise in conversation.

It’s important to realize that not all of your patients have the same political opinions that you have. Some may support one side of a war while others support the other side. Your job is not to change minds, but instead to lend a supportive ear when needed.

A Guide to Emotional and Psychological Effects

As stated above, the constant barrage of news about conflicts, economic instability, or health crises can trigger anxiety, depression, or even post-traumatic stress, particularly in those with pre-existing conditions or a personal connection to the events.

You will see varied reactions. Some patients may appear overwhelmed, while others might seem indifferent, masking their true concerns. Your role involves treating physical ailments and, while it may be beyond your scope of practice, you may also offer support for these hidden struggles. Podiatrists are in a unique position to support patients on their mental health journeys, and this is no exception. It is critical to approach each patient with sensitivity, acknowledging the weight of world events on their mental health without letting the conversation derail their care.

After all, you are a podiatrist, not a psychologist. The goal is not to treat emotional issues, but rather provide support to a patient who is in distress. Address the psychological impact of current events on your patients by remaining well-informed and cultivating an environment where they feel supported, yet ensure discussions stay relevant to their healthcare. Simple acknowledgement of their feelings and the impact of these events on their lives can sometimes make a significant difference for patients.

You should strive to stay neutral and avoid sharing personal opinions. When conversations drift towards sensitive topics, gently redirect them back to health matters. Your role isn’t to debate, but to support your patients’ well-being. Let’s take a closer look at some pathways physicians can use to achieve this balance in their practices.

Strategies for Navigating Sensitive Conversations

When you are faced with sensitive topics, your ability to listen empathetically can make all the difference. You will want to provide accurate, unbiased information to help patients understand the context without causing distress. If the conversation strays from your comfort level, you have to know how to gently redirect it back to a place that is relevant to the reason the patient came to see you in the first place.

How to Conduct Empathetic Listening

You will find that the first step in navigating sensitive conversations about current events is to employ empathetic listening, a crucial skill in acknowledging and validating your patients’ feelings. By truly hearing what patients are saying, without judgment or interruption, you are creating a safe space for them to express concerns. Remember, it is not about agreeing or offering solutions, it’s about understanding their perspective.

This should not be difficult. It’s simply a variation on the active listening that you do when you first meet a patient. You take the time to listen without interrupting in order to understand the full scope of your patient’s foot and ankle problem.

Here is how you can practice this: lean in and maintain eye contact, nod to show you’re engaged, and reflect or repeat back what you’ve heard to ensure you’ve understood correctly. Resist the urge to share your own opinions. Your role is to be present and supportive, providing comfort through your attentive silence.

Providing Factual Information

Amid heated discussions on current events, it is your responsibility as a physician to provide patients with accurate, non-biased information that can help them make informed decisions about their health. When it comes to divisive current events, you must stay informed, but remember, your role isn’t to sway opinions in this area. Instead, I recommend one focuses on how these events may affect their well-being. I believe you should be a reliable source they turn to for clarity amidst confusion. As mentioned above, active listening may be the most effective tactic in providing this resource. However, if discussion is more active, it is important to assure that any information you contribute is factual.

A word of caution: Even when you feel like you are giving factual information about a world event, people may interpret it differently. Sharing facts alone does not completely safeguard you from an uncomfortable situation. Sometimes, this type of conversation may not be possible to have in a productive manner, and as such, redirection may be a next step.

Redirecting When Necessary

Navigating sensitive topics often requires the deftness of redirection to ensure conversations remain productive and ultimately focused on patient care. After all, a patient may discuss world events with you, but is really there for treatment of their foot or ankle condition. If you sense a discussion straying into contentious territory, it is crucial to steer it back gently but firmly.

If the topic persists, you might say, “I know this issue is important to you, but my priority is to get your feet feeling better.” Remember, your priority is always the patient’s health and comfort.

Creating a Supportive Environment in Healthcare

You will find that fostering a culture of respect and empathy among your office team is vital for navigating sensitive discussions with patients. When team members support one another, it becomes easier to manage the emotional weight of complex topics. Remember, not every member of your team will agree with you on every divisive issue. Everyone on your team is entitled to their own opinion.

Encourage open communication among your team. This does not just mean discussing patient care but also providing a space where your colleagues can express concerns about the challenges they face, including those stemming from current events. When someone feels overwhelmed, they should know they have a team to lean on.

Acknowledge diversity in your team and understand that current events may affect members differently. Foster an environment of inclusivity where all perspectives are valued. When team members feel respected, they extend that same level of care to patients.

In Conclusion

For a multitude of reasons, physicians must be prepared to discuss difficult topics. Some may find it a difficult concept to grasp, but in the treatment room, your opinion is not more important than providing optimal comfort and patient care. There are exceptions, specifically those patients who you know very well, perhaps for years, and you know you can get deeper in conversation with them. While you should still exercise caution, it is likely a less risky scenario.

In my experience, it is best to follow these guidelines to ensure that your patients feel heard, but to avoid debating world events in your treatment room. I recommend keeping your focus on why the patient came to see you. Casual conversation is fine, and can enhance patient-doctor relationships, but be cautious when it becomes too heavy.

Dr. Andrew Schneider is in private practice at Tanglewood Foot Specialists in Houston. He is a President of the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management (AAPPM), Board Certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM), and a Fellow of the American College of Podiatric Medicine (ACPM). Dr. Schneider speaks internationally on topics related to practice management, marketing, wound care, and biomechanics. Dr. Schneider can be contacted at aschneider@aappm.org.

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Published in partnership with the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management.