Even before modern technology, one very important aspect of the health field has been communication. I think patients and providers have an equal responsibility in ensuring good communication in the health industry. This is done through a process called collaborative communication where both the patients and caregivers are ‘peers’ where they both work to make the decisions. If either person is not communicating in a collaborative sense, the conversation will not be very effective. From the patients’ perspective it can be overwhelming when going to the doctor’s office and being as assertive as one wants to. Often, physician-centered communication is hard to avoid unless the patient is particularly assertive. If the providers do not take the time to listen to their patients’ concerns, and avoid patronizing them, the patients are not given much chance to voice their opinions properly. One way providers can help the communication process is through nonverbal encouragement. That is, by looking interested in what the patient has to say and allowing silence long enough for them to voice their major concerns they are encouraging collaborative communication. In emergency rooms doctors tend to have a more depersonalized attitude towards patients, especially if they don’t see them very often. They tend to treat their patients in a much less personal way. This is when collaborative communication may be most important for both parties to effectively work out the patient’s problem. In addition to communication being important from the provider’s end, it is also very important from the patient’s end. While a doctor’s office can seem overwhelming at times, it is important that patients be self advocates and be comfortable talking about their health concerns to their providers. Patients that take a more active role in their health care are likely to be more satisfied as they help