Can You Hear Me Now?

Here’s a tip for dealing with patients who are hard of hearing and either don’t have hearing aids or don’t have them in at the time, usually while they are inpatients in the hospital. Take your stethoscope and let them wear the earpieces. Speak loudly into the chest piece, and watch their faces light up because they can finally hear what you are saying. It’s much better than having to yell for an entire patient encounter!

- Dario M. Zagar, MD
    Fairfield, Conn