STAT Opinion Urges Handshakes to Rebuild Patient Trust in Emergency Settings

{"The piece describes how a brief handshake preceded an intense ED encounter involving lab draws, alarms, and life-altering discussions. The author notes this human acknowledgment reminded both parties of the patient's personhood amid uncertainty. In emergency medicine, where relationships form in minutes, such gestures address the need to rapidly inquire about sensitive topics like substance use or violence before physical exams or admissions.","Supporting data include the cited JAMA Internal Medicine survey of 415 adults plus video review of 123 visits recommending handshakes with attention to nonverbal cues. A separate 2023 study on bedside chair placement showed increased sitting rates and higher satisfaction scores without added encounter time. These align with broader patterns of small, low-cost behaviors countering EMR demands and volume pressures that erode relational aspects of care.","Traditional reengagement through physical greetings connects to declining trust metrics in large observational datasets, where rushed interactions correlate with lower adherence. The opinion underplays infection-control concerns post-pandemic and cultural variations in touch preferences, yet correctly identifies the first moments as decisive for whether patients share critical history. This fits observed trends where procedural medicine crowds out interpersonal rituals.","Next steps involve pragmatic trials measuring handshake adoption against satisfaction and trust scales in EDs, with thresholds of 10% improvement in Press Ganey scores within 12 months across multiple sites to justify guideline updates."}