Introduce yourself.

Looking back, this probably should’ve been the very first entry in this blog. It seems like such an obvious thing to do, and yet I can’t tell you how many times doctors forget to introduce themselves. It’s such an important first step in building trust, and getting to know your patient better.

In my field of Palliative Care, it’s also a great way to introduce what I do and help correct any misunderstanding. Many people assume they know who I am and why I’m there, the assume that I’m Andrew coming in to “pull the plug.” Of course, that’s not who I am at all.

So introduce yourself, and help your patients understand who you are a little better just as you hope to understand who they are a little better.

I’m Andrew and I’m a Palliative Care doctor. And this is what I do.