The Importance of Communication for Patient Care

Communication is the beginning steps to providing an individual with patient care. Patient care can be interrupted when there is a lack of communication or a misunderstanding, unfortunately any disruption can lead to adverse events and/or death. Clinical communication is very different from the basic elements of effective communication. Health care communication also requires seven essential steps as opposed to basic communication which requires fewer steps. Health care communication and adherence improves by building physician-patient relationship.

Basic Communication

Communication begins with two individuals, or an individual and a group. The basic elements of communication are the sender’s ability to send a message to the receiver, confirm that they’ve understood and receive feedback from the receiver. The difference between effective and basic communication is the receiver’s ability to retain and repeat the information and/or provide feedback.

Health Care Communication

Many differences exist between health care communication and basic communication; these differences can also result in different outcomes such as lack of clinical communication or misunderstanding can result in adverse events or even death. Physician approach can also have impact on adherence. Typically a conversation begins with relating to one’s listener to establish active listening. However, in healthcare relating to one’s patient may be viewed as offensive, which is why in the article Essential Elements of Communication in Medical Encounters: The Kalamazoo Consensus Statement, Gregory PhD identifies the seven essential sets of communication, which are: build the doctor—patient relationship; (2) open the discussion; (3) gather information; (4) underst...

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...son et al, also state contrary to popular belief that it may take too long, average time is only 90 seconds to 2 and ½ minutes. The article also suggests that active listening and empathy also promotes not only the patient’s own understanding of prognosis, treatment recommendations but it improves compliance rates. (Simpson et al, 1991) Active listening and empathy improve patient compliance and satisfaction by reducing patient anxiety.

In conclusion, improving provider and patient relationships lead to better communication; a patient would be more at ease in sharing problems creating a window in providing better patient care. Allowing the patient to express and finish concerns without interruption further conveys to the patient that the health care professional is listening. A patient who is involved in their own care is more likely to be adherent to therapy.