I pride myself on establishing a meaningful relationship with all patients I care for. As an interventional endoscopist, I often see patients that are referred from other gastroenterologists and physicians for complex endoscopic problems. This occasionally results in meeting the patient for the first time right before his/her procedure. I make every effort to explain the problem, and the treatment plan to the patient and his/her loved one(s) so that they understand what we propose to do and what the next steps will be. Additionally, I place a high value on multidisciplinary care and collaboration. Many patients I treat are also cared for by other specialists and in these circumstances, input from the entire treatment team is imperative to optimize patient outcomes. Further, some conditions such as pancreatic fluid collections have various treatment options that span disciplines such as hepato-pancreaticobiliary surgery and interventional radiology. Only when we discuss and plan treatment strategies in a collaborative manner, are we able to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.