Care teams that “listen with empathy and curiosity” make better decisions and implement more personalised care, researchers have said.
Academics from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School have found that values-driven listening can help improve the health care system.
Values-driven listening is about asking the right questions, showing genuine curiosity and compassion and being present in a medical appointment.
Senior author Dr Leonard Berry said: “Listening is the gateway to healing. It’s how we connect, understand and ultimately serve better.”
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An example of how transformative listening is when a nursing home resident requested a wheelchair so he could tell people he wore his blue shirt because it was his late wife’s favourite after initially telling a nurse who listened with empathy.
This was the first time he had ever asked to interact with other people at the nursing home. Dr Berry said: “That’s not a medical breakthrough, it’s a human one.”
In the study, the team of researchers highlighted six types of listening that can improve care:
Proximate listening
Healthcare professionals who take their time and are present during medical appointments will often get more out of their patient.
A quiet moment in the exam room is more effective than a rushed message or chart note. Not feeling rushed and spending time personalising a patient’s care plan makes it easier for patients to trust their healthcare professional.
Curious listening
Curiosity can be just as beneficial as expertise. Honest conversations are more likely to occur when healthcare professionals ask open-ended questions and pay attention to patients’ words, body language and emotions.
Questions should be left open-ended to spark more of a discussion. For example, ‘What are your concerns about the plan of care we’ve discussed?’ will create more dialogue than ‘Do you have any questions?’.
Trustful listening
Healthcare providers who listen without judgement, treat patients’ input as essential and give them their full attention are more likely to build trust with their patient.
With AI on the rise, some doctors are letting these tools take notes during appointments to allow them to focus solely on the conversation.
Listening aided by design
How well a patient is heard can be affected by the design of the clinic or hospital. Private conversations are harder to hear if the appointment is taking place in a small, crowded space.
By sitting down, healthcare professionals can make their patient feel more cared for and listened to. Some settings have talking rooms, which are less clinical and more personal.
Empowering listening
Actions should always follow listening. When patients see actions being made, they will feel more empowered. By listening to patients, healthcare professionals can implement better care.
Kind listening
Dr Berry said: “Your experiences, concerns and insights are not just helpful, they’re essential. And when your care team listens with empathy and curiosity, it leads to better decisions, stronger relationships and more personalised care.
“Kindness is not a luxury in health care, it’s a necessity. And true listening is one of its most powerful expressions.”
Read the study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
