By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    HIPPA compliance
    How Medical Office Staff Can Make Your Practice HIPAA Compliant
    October 29, 2021
    Everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid treatment
    Everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid treatment
    February 10, 2022
    Which Mushroom Capsules Are Good for Your Health?
    May 5, 2022
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Health Literacy Resources
    October 30, 2012
    Health Business TV: Obamacare Premiums (VIDEO)
    June 22, 2014
    doctor patient relationship
    The Importance of Human Touch in Clinical Medicine
    February 3, 2013
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 5 Ways Health Providers Can Help Reduce Patient Stress Without Drugs
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > 5 Ways Health Providers Can Help Reduce Patient Stress Without Drugs
BusinessGlobal HealthcareMedical EducationTechnology

5 Ways Health Providers Can Help Reduce Patient Stress Without Drugs

Ryan Kh
Ryan Kh
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Whether you’re treating a high-powered executive or a trembling tot, always keep in mind that your patient’s visit can be a daunting experience for them. Approximately 20 percent of Americans experience white coat syndrome (a phenomenon in which blood pressure surges during a consultation), while many more let their fear of doctors and hospitals keep them from seeking vital treatment. Although a fear response is perfectly normal in a stressful situation, a patient’s fear can also hinder our ability to diagnose and treat them effectively. Thus, it’s hugely important to be aware of patient anxiety and how to effectively treat it. What are the best ways to reduce patient stress without drugs? 1. Make Your Patient Feel Valued and Understood As most doctor visits total around 15 minutes, patients can often feel like cattle. If your patient feels that you are simply trying to get them in and out as quickly as possible, they may become anxious and less able to recall important signs and symptoms. To avoid this, adopt an open posture, angling your body toward the other person as they speak. Make eye contact, nod and ask questions where appropriate. This will reassure your patient that they are not just a number and that you can be trusted to look after their best interests. 2. Embrace Technology to Keep Patients in the Loop In recent times, technology usage has soared. In order to keep up with patients (particularly millennials), it’s important to maintain an online presence for your clinic. Begin by utilizing tech that reduces stress. For example, consider uploading videos that showcase your facilities. Clean, bright operating rooms and doctors’ offices will give your practice a sense of professionalism that will lower patient anxiety levels. Another way to put patients at ease is to create video introductions for all practicing doctors. These brief introductions will give doctors a chance to display their personalities and show a less clinical, more human side that patients can relate to. Studies have shown that patients who dislike or distrust their doctors are less likely to accurately disclose their symptoms. 3. Improve their Sex Lives Patients can manage their stress much more easily if they have a healthy outlet for their sexual energy. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that subjects that have sex at least once a week have stronger immune systems and lower stress levels than those that did not. If patients lack an adequate means of sexual expression, their doctors can recommend a good online sex therapist. 4. Create a Pleasant Environment While maintaining a clean, sterile environmental is important for both professionalism and health reasons, a sparse white office can set off anxiety in patients. In order to combat this anxiety, add a little color to the room in the form of bright paintings or plastic indoor plants. If you have a sense of humor, a cartoon or silly poster poking fun at illness or doctors is a great choice, as laughter is strongly linked to anxiety management. 5. Offer Home Visits It’s not always practical for us to offer home visits. However, for elderly patients or patients with extreme GAD, a video-based consultation or an occasional house call may be invaluable. Examining patients with anxiety in the safety of their own home is an effective way of combating white coat syndrome and encouraging patients who are genuinely terrified of doctors’ offices to seek treatment. 6. Encourage Deep Breathing Breathing techniques have long been known to help with stress and anxiety. Although you have limited consultation time, devoting the first two minutes to breathing exercises may help your patient provide better information (and more accurate test readings) that can streamline the rest of the appointment. Research the relaxing breath exercise, which involves having patients inhale through the nose for a count of four, hold it for a count of seven and then exhale through the mouth for a count of eight. After a few cycles, the patient’s anxiety should diminish. It may be tempting to treat anxious individuals with drugs, but we owe it to our patients to try less invasive stress-reducing procedures first. Next time you have a tricky client on file, remember that your demeanor, office and online presence can have a dramatic impact on how comfortable your patient feels in your care.

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Ryan Kh
Follow:
Ryan Kh is an experienced blogger, digital content & social marketer. Founder of Catalyst For Business and contributor to search giants like Yahoo Finance, MSN. He is passionate about covering topics like big data, business intelligence, startups & entrepreneurship. Email: ryankh14@icloud.com

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & Law

Health Wonk Review: Mud Season Edition

March 16, 2014

Ebola or Epic: Which Do US Hospitals Fear More?

October 9, 2014

Bringing Down the Costs of Medical Care

March 26, 2011

Genworth Publishes LTC Cost Data

July 2, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?