Leadership is the process of assuring others that the future will be better than the present. You become a leader of patients by helping them see a better tomorrow.
How?
Find out what patients really want. Sure, they want relief, but what they really want is something far greater. Don't settle for the "first right answer." Dig.
Whether it's a new career, a life partner or a sense of ease, it all begins by seeing it. Help them form a clear and vivid mental image of it. Remind them of how it could be. Help them see beyond the distractions of the urgent present and transport them to the possible future. Keep their focus on the goal.
Leaders are actually servants, helping others get what they want. When you add value in this way, not only will you be handsomely rewarded, you'll have delivered the most powerful adjustment of all: hope.