The healthcare worker-patient relationship is fundamental in the execution of good patient care, relying on the trust and rapport between healthcare providers and patients to communicate and make informed decisions.
Ineffective communication can shift the balance in the relationship and negatively affect a patient’s perception in the quality of care received, resulting in a higher chance of a malpractice claim being initiated.
With this in mind, what are some ways the healthcare worker-patient relationship can be improved so as to reduce patient claims?
Verbal communication
Verbal communication is the most obvious form of communication and encompasses the words you use to communicate with your patients. Using effective verbal communication with patients is an essential skill for healthcare workers.
By asking questions when discussing with your patients, you can ensure a two-way dialogue is in place, encouraging your patients to tell their story and hence bring out additional issues or concerns that may have never been brought up. Consider asking your patients open-ended questions such as, “what has brought you in today?” or, “can you tell me more about your chest pain?”. You could even ask your patients probing questions to encourage them to open up, such as, “is there something else you wanted to talk about today?”
Other forms of verbal communication can also make your patients feel more at ease when used appropriately. You can inform and educate patients on what to expect, use humor where appropriate and check on your patient’s understanding of any medical treatments.
Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is just as essential as verbal communication and acts as a complement to verbal communication.
Consider maintaining eye contact with patients or nodding while patients speak to suggest participation in the conversation and attentiveness. Make sure you’re not focusing on external distractions such as checking your mobile phone while your patient is talking.
Your posture is also another form of non-verbal communication that promotes a warm environment for conversation. An open, attentive posture (which means not having your arms crossed or folded), facing your patients, and not fiddling with items while speaking all contributes to a calmer setting for your patients to easily ease up to you.
When non-verbal communication is used effectively, it can ensure your patients do not feel rushed or ignored when talking to you.
Listening skills
Take the time to listen when they speak and show genuine interest in the topic at hand. Use silence appropriately to allow them time to talk about their feelings and fears. Be mindful of respecting patient autonomy in making decisions.
Active listening is a great communication technique that either you or your patients can use. It requires the listener to repeat what they have understood of the discussion. You could find out their expectations and ensure you have correctly heard your patient’s health concerns by summarising their queries.
Empathy
Patient empathy is an important skill to master when communicating with patients, especially if healthcare workers find it difficult to remain empathetic and not sympathetic.
Empathy includes the use of your verbal and non-verbal communication skills for patient understanding, responsiveness and compassion. This all ultimately helps your patients feel more comfortable to give fuller histories. And mostly, it relies on your listening skills to comprehend, without judgment, your patients’ story and other aspects relevant to their health.
If you practice empathy effectively you can enable trust and disclosure with your patients, which can be directly therapeutic.
Awareness of cultural barriers
An important aspect of communication with patients is to be mindful of any cultural and religious values they may hold.
Being aware of language and cultural communication issues, such as asking permission first before physically examining patients, can make patients feel respected and comfortable. If you’re discussing treatment options with patients who speak a different language, ask your patients if they have understood or arrange for an interpreter to be present during the patient consultation to ensure their full understanding for their informed consent.
Make sure to encourage open communication regarding treatment preferences, so patients can make decisions for ongoing management that fit within each patient’s unique cultural context.
To Conclude...
By investing time in essential communication skills, you can achieve greater patient satisfaction and compliance, allowing you to give your patients optimal treatment and desired management preferences.
Comments