Building a Helpful Relationship: The Foundation of Effective Patient Education

Abstract

To have a lasting impact on patients, patient educators need to build relationships that are characterized by trust and collaboration. Without trust, patients are likely to withhold intimate, often critical, information. Pa tients are not likely to give credence to or to carry out advice offered by health professionals they do not trust. In col laborative relationships, patients take an active role, have a sense of ownership of the changes they make, and assume responsibility for their own care to the extent they are able. Health pro fessionals who function in authoritarian ways can foster passivity and dependency in patients; postures that are counter productive to lasting change and growth.