Description

A recent interview given by actress Maura Tierney who starred as a nurse and later became a doctor on the popular television series “ER.” In 2010, Tierney was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, and she tells the story of receiving the diagnosis from her doctor who promptly went on to ask her questions about her role on the television show “ER”.

She was taken aback by her doctor’s insensitivity to her shock and distress at receiving the diagnosis and his abrupt shift to superficial questions about her television career, and she decided to change to another provider after this experience.

What do you think about this example? Share instances of poor patient-provider communication that you or someone you know have experienced. What aspects of the provider’s communication were problematic?