Certainly one of the main skills for a health care provider is the ability to meet the emotional needs of the patient. Recently I experienced the privilege to coach a pal who had cancer but thankfully has become cured. As I keep in touch with patients coping with cancer I frequently hear stories of how doctors mechanically convey information to patients about their diagnosis or test results whilst showing little if any empathy towards that patient. If you are ill the doctor becomes an essential person, however it would be wrong of doctors to think that patients will listen to every word a health care provider says when they are giving back test results or giving a prognosis to a patient. The main element reason the patient may not hear everything the doctor says is down seriously to emotion and what sort of patient interprets information when they are emotional?

Emotions can prevent us from having access to any or all that individuals know. Whenever we are gripped by an inappropriate emotion, we interpret what's happening in a way that fits with how we are feeling and ignore our knowledge that will not fit.

After emotional episodes a person can be in a refractory state, within a refractory state our thinking cannot incorporate information that will not fit, maintain or justify the emotion we are feeling. what did dr robert hadden do When refractory periods are brief (lasting an additional or two) they provide benefit in so it focuses our focus on the problem available, utilizing the relevant knowledge that could guide our initial reactions, along with preparation for further actions. If the refractory period lasts longer (minutes or hours) A too long refractory period biases just how we see the entire world and ourselves. During refractory periods people will reject contradictory information.

Consider someone who has just been told they have cancer. This individual may have a refractory period that lasts all day and during this time they will reject contradictory information that will not support the emotion they are experiencing (most likely fear and anxiety) this confirmation bias is extremely important for the doctor to know. The doctor may continue speaking with the patient giving balanced information but the patient may not hear what the doctor says and /or only select areas of the data in the doctors conversation that support the sensation of fear and anxiety. The patient may miss that the doctor may have said survival rates for this type of cancer are very good, because this really is contradictory information and doesn't support the sensation of fear. When conveying information doctors have to be attuned to the emotional state of the patient or member of the family receiving the data and adjust their own messages to ensure the full and real message is received.

When Doctors convey information to the patient or member of the family it may help the communication process if the doctor breaks the message into two stages.

1. State the message to the patient or family member.
2. Ask the patient or member of the family to reaffirm/repeat the message back.

This could ensure the doctor that the patient or member of the family has actually heard the real message being conveyed instead of an incorrect interpretation or mental choice of information that lends support to the emotions (which in the cancer case are anxiety and fear) they are experiencing.

Everyday doctors give back test results, break bad news, diagnose and give their prognosis to patients and family members. If doctors can learn to spot the "refractory state", whilst in conversation with someone and they take just a couple more minutes to ensure the real message is received by the patient, they get the ability to meet emotional needs of patients with every conversation!