People never want to be just a number, a chart or a diagnosis. They want their doctors to know them — to see them as real people and not just as patients.

That’s why the first thing I do when I meet a new patient is listen. I want to hear people’s stories, so I can find out what they’ve been through that has gotten them to this point.

Whether it’s an abnormal lab result, a suspicion of cancer, or a late-stage diagnosis that...