Category Archives: Uncategorized

The gift of a “bad patient”

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Helane Fronek

Yesterday I received a call from a friend – a truly brilliant person who takes great responsibility for everything in her life. She researches nutrition and eats only healthy foods, exercises regularly, works hard and studies to increase her value … Continue reading →

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Take Ownership in Your Communication

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Helane Fronek

President George W. Bush wanted us to become an “ownership society.” While the idea that all Americans should own their own home didn’t work out as well as President Bush had intended, there is one arena in which ownership is … Continue reading →

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Resuscitate your difficult relationships

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Helane Fronek

After presenting a talk on communication at a local hospital, I was approached by a wonderful, experienced Internist who asked about a situation that I don’t often encounter. He wondered what to do with patients who enter into contracts with … Continue reading →

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Sidestep your saboteur

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Helane Fronek

The training for a medical career is demanding. We often work longer hours than we would like, striving to learn more and be better at what we do. As a result, the medical field selects out for people who know … Continue reading →

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Pave the way – a big benefit for teammates and patients

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Helane Fronek

A medical assistant brings a patient into a room. Then, the physician enters. Perhaps a technician follows to perform a test. A nurse might be the last person the patient interacts with, explaining the treatment and followup plan. It can … Continue reading →

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The sounds – and shame – of silence

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Helane Fronek

“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky We all worry about things we say – have we hurt someone’s feelings? Spoken too harshly? Been too sarcastic? I would argue that … Continue reading →

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Watch your language – literally. Physician coaching helps doctors communicate with more than words

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Helane Fronek

Doctors feature prominently in many movies, but perhaps nowhere as pointedly as in the 1991 movie, The Doctor. In this film, William Hurt plays Dr. McKee, a busy cardiothoracic surgeon who prides himself solely on his surgical skills and emotion-free … Continue reading →

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Just one thing

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Helane Fronek

In the hilarious Billy Crystal movie, City Slickers, the old cowboy Curly tells Billy that each person has one thing that really gives their life meaning. Sometimes, it only takes one thing to make the difference between feeling lost and … Continue reading →

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The opposite is also true – physician coaching allows the greater truth to emerge

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Helane Fronek

Someone recently told me about a bumper sticker that read, THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE. I love how that simple concept can open up whole new perspectives in our thinking. We are frequently so confident that our ideas are right … Continue reading →

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What am I missing?

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Helane Fronek

As part of a second year medical school course that I’m involved in, I recently attended a panel discussion on LGBT health issues. I consider myself fairly sensitive to cross-cultural issues that impact medical practice, and since I know several … Continue reading →

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