Dr. Autumn Feaster discusses managing conflict and communication in healthcare, emphasizing the need for conflict mediation. The podcast explores the impact of COVID-19 on difficult patients and challenging behaviors, the perpetuation of inequities in medicine, and the importance of understanding perspectives. It also delves into distinguishing positions from interests, understanding the emotion of anger, and finding the speaker's truth in conflict.
Understanding difficult patients' behavior is crucial to resolving conflicts effectively.
Practicing the principles of mediation can deescalate conflicts and promote resolution with patients.
In situations where conflicts persist, seeking additional support and prioritizing safety are important.
Deep dives
Understanding the Glass Health Platform
Glass Health is a platform that incorporates AI into clinical decision-making. Clinicians teach a language model on medical practices, identifying chief concerns, diagnostic schemas, and clues for accurate diagnoses. The AI is used as a thinking partner, providing suggestions to draft differentials and plans. While AI should never replace clinical judgment, Glass AI has been found helpful in tough cases. The platform offers a free version as well as a paid Glass Pro version with unlimited AI queries.
Reconceptualizing Difficult Patients
Difficult patients are better understood as individuals exhibiting challenging behavior due to their specific circumstances, rather than labeling them as difficult. Challenging behavior can range from non-compliance to rudeness and obscenities. The behavior stems from patients' dissatisfaction with the healthcare system or their experiences. It is crucial to focus on understanding the reasons behind their behavior and empathizing with their perspective, rather than labeling them negatively or immediately dismissing their concerns.
Effective Communication Strategies for Conflict Resolution
Dr. Autumn Feaster, a conflict management expert, shares seven maxims of mediation to deescalate conflicts. These principles include viewing difficult patients as a syndrome instead of a distinct species, identifying the source of anger to address concerns, recognizing the speed at which conflicts can escalate or deescalate, avoiding calling out individuals for bad behavior, maintaining neutrality while resolving conflicts, focusing on interests rather than positions, and using sincere apologies or expressions of consolation when necessary.
Rebuilding Trust and Seeking Additional Support
In some cases, conflicts may persist or deteriorate despite efforts to resolve them. In such situations, seeking additional support from ethics or palliative care consultations, involving patient representatives, or consulting with chaplains can be helpful. It is essential to acknowledge that trust may need to be rebuilt over time and that seeking concordant conflict management can sometimes be beneficial. If conflicts escalate to a point where physical safety is at risk, calling security may become necessary, but it is vital to prioritize safety while also considering appropriate support for emotional and psychological well-being.
Supporting Clinicians and Reflecting on Personal Biases
Managing patient conflicts can take a toll on clinicians' mental health. Institutions can implement strategies such as deep reads and conflict management rounds to support clinicians and mitigate emotional impact. It is important to recognize personal values and biases that may influence decision-making, acknowledging that patients' perspectives may differ. Reflecting on one's own biases and perspectives can aid in approaching conflicts with empathy and open-mindedness, furthering the potential for resolution.
Conclusion
Resolving conflicts with patients requires effective communication, empathy, and a commitment to understanding their needs and concerns. By using the principles of mediation, clinicians can navigate difficult interactions, deescalate conflicts, and work towards a shared resolution. Seeking support and fostering a supportive environment for clinicians is crucial in maintaining their well-being while managing patient conflicts.
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