India today faces a growing crisis of trust in healthcare despite remarkable advances in medical technology, tertiary care, organ transplantation, and specialist services. Over the years, through my work with several associations of health providers and accredited organizations, collaborations with state and Central government agencies, and my years as CEO at Bangalore Baptist Hospital, one lesson became repeatedly clear: most patient dissatisfaction does not arise purely from medical negligence. Patients often feel unheard, uninformed, emotionally neglected, or financially anxious.
Communication failures frequently become trust failures.
This understanding led me to strongly advocate communication skills and ethics becoming integral parts of India’s medical curriculum. Technical competence alone is not enough. Healthcare professionals must also learn empathy, listening, counselling, disclosure, and conflict resolution. Good communication improves patient outcomes, reduces medical errors, lowers litigation, and can even reduce healthcare costs.
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