(The Conversation) – In 15 years as a primary care physician, I have seen the effects of dehumanizing medical care – and the difference it makes when a patient feels they are being respected, not just “treated.”

Though “relational medicine” may be a relatively new phrase, the basic idea is not. Seeing each person before you as someone of infinite value is fundamental to many faiths’ beliefs about medical ethics. In my own tradition, Judaism, “person-centered care” has roots in the biblical Book of Genesis, where the creation story teaches that “God created the Human in God’s own image.” As a medical educator, I teach students how to turn these abstract ideas into concrete clinical skills. (Read More)