In episode 103, I sit down with Dr. Bradley Block, an ENT surgeon and host of the Physician's Guide to Doctoring podcast, to explore the art of effective communication in healthcare. Our conversation delves into the challenges physicians face when interacting with patients and offers practical strategies to enhance these crucial interactions.
Dr. Block shares his journey from an "uninspiring" path to medical school to becoming a passionate advocate for better doctor-patient communication. We discuss the importance of addressing patients' underlying concerns, navigating difficult conversations, and maintaining professional boundaries while providing compassionate care.
Key insights from our discussion include:
- The importance of identifying and addressing patients' unspoken worries
- Strategies for handling patients who arrive with preconceived notions from online research
- Techniques for maintaining professional boundaries when faced with inappropriate requests
- The value of self-care and resetting between patient encounters
Discover how to:
- Improve your communication skills to enhance patient satisfaction and reduce burnout
- Navigate challenging conversations with patients more effectively
- Maintain your professional integrity while addressing patient concerns
- Implement simple techniques to reset and recharge between patient encounters
This episode offers invaluable insights for healthcare professionals at all stages of their careers. Whether you're a medical student, resident, or experienced physician, you'll find practical tips to enhance your communication skills and improve your interactions with patients.
Join us for this thought-provoking conversation that challenges conventional approaches to doctor-patient communication and offers fresh perspectives on creating meaningful connections in healthcare settings.
Articles and Studies Mentioned
- Patient Trust in the Age of Misinformation (JAMA, 2022)
- Susannah Fox’s Rebel Health — insights into patient-led education and online advocacy
About the Guest
"I need to protect my own mental headspace so that I can serve my next patient better." - Dr. Bradley Block
Dr. Bradley Block is a board-certified ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) surgeon, storyteller, and the voice behind the long-running podcast Physician’s Guide to Doctoring. With over a decade of clinical experience and a passion for humanizing healthcare, Dr. Block has built a platform that gives physicians the tools to communicate better—with their patients, their peers, and themselves.
His journey into medicine wasn’t scripted, and neither was his evolution as a changemaker. What began as a personal quest to improve his own communication skills transformed into a community-driven resource covering everything we should have learned in med school—from patient experience and health policy to burnout and boundaries.
Dr. Block is also a founding member of the Doctor Podcast Network, where he helps amplify physician voices and build community through storytelling. When he’s not in the clinic or behind the mic, he’s probably sipping hot black tea (with a splash of whole milk) between patient encounters—and thinking about what it really means to be heard.
Top 3 Key Takeaways
- Say the thing – Patients often leave unsatisfied not because you missed a diagnosis, but because you didn’t name their fear. Address it.
- Boundaries protect everyone – Saying no is hard. But it’s part of keeping the profession—and yourself—intact.
- Invite collaboration – Patients turning to Google or ChatGPT aren’t the enemy. They’re looking for agency. Invite them into the conversation.
About the Host
Dr. Andrea Austin is a board-certified emergency physician, educator, and passionate advocate for system-level change in healthcare. As the creator and host of Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare, Dr. Austin brings curiosity, compassion, and bold honesty to conversations with leaders who are challenging the norms and reshaping medicine from the inside out.
With decades of experience in high-pressure clinical environments, Andrea has seen firsthand the cracks in the system—and the people working to repair them. Whether she’s mentoring residents, speaking on national stages, or recording with a fellow disruptor, she center
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