Marcus Welby,MD, the popular TV doctor (for those of us old enough to remember), epitomized the physician with a “good bedside manner.”
But, what Dr. Welby really possessed, that resonated with his patients and television viewers, was empathy and good listening skills, the hallmark of a good communicator.

While not all doctors have good communication skills, they can be learned and mastered, and generally include:

• Careful listening while the patient describes specific complaints and concerns
• Empathy, which means trying to see the world of the patient through his or her eyes
• Education, providing the patient with information in a way that they can understand, remember, and apply. (source: Bayer Institute on Healthcare Communication)

You and your doctor are forming an opinion of one another from the moment you meet. Your voice is one of the first thing that your doctor will “see” about you. From the way you sound, he or she will begin making an initial opinion about your general state of health and well being.

Do you think your voice makes a good impression on other people?

You Might Be A Candidate For Voice Therapy If You:

• Clear your throat a lot when you speak.
• Experience throat aches at the end of the day.
• Find that talking tires you, and people frequently ask you to repeat.
• Become hoarse after talking for awhile or at the end of the day.
• Have a feeling of tightness or tension in your throat.
• Feel you have lost power or volume in your voice.
• Have a medical diagnosis of Parkinson’s or other neurological disorder that is causing changes in your voice.

Voice treatment from a qualified speech pathologist may help you improve the quality and use of your voice. Voice Aerobics™DVD may help you retain those improvements.

These monthly articles are intended to: educate, enlist your participation in your own care, and empower you to advocate for your self or others .
(Re-printable with permission from the author: Mary Spremulli,MA,CCC-SLP. Send correspondence to: info@voiceaerobicsdvd.com)

About the author: Mary Spremulli,MA,CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist and licensed nurse. A national lecturer, with publications on the topic of Patient Education and Ethics, and with a special interest in physician-patient communication.