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Doctor Recommends "The Human Touch" for Primary Care Patients Primary care physician David Loxterkamp, MD, of the Seaport Community Health Center in Belfast, Maine, believes in the power of human touch as it relates to primary-care patients. In his essay "What Humans Need" (Annals of Family Medicine 21, no. 5, September/October 2023), Loxterkamp identifies what he describes as the "elements of human touch," which include human voice, human scale, human continuity, human conversation, and human potential, all of which revolve around core concepts of empathy, respect, and compassion. "Patients need to feel acknowledged, respected, and welcomed," Loxterkamp writes. "Caregivers want a work environment where they can make individualized decisions, improve their skills, and feel like they are making a difference in the lives of others. Not surprisingly, when we care for patients in the right kind of way, we are caring for ourselves too." While this doesn't refer to the exact kind of human touch that massage therapists provide, Loxterkamp's observations resonate deeply with the massage and bodywork community. Read the full text in the latest volume of the Annals of Family Medicine. annfammed.org/content/21/5/465 20 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k n ove m b e r/d e ce m b e r 2 0 2 3 KNEAD TO KNOW Read Massage & Bodywork . . . Earn CE! Don't forget that ABMP members can earn FREE CE by reading Massage & Bodywork magazine! Once you've flipped through and read the content from our contributors, take the quiz and earn your credit. It's easy and a great way to stay up to date on essential industry knowledge. The courses are also available for purchase for nonmembers. abmp.com/learn