Talk to Your Doc: Patient-Centered Communication Skills

Talk to Your Doc: Patient-Centered Communication Skills

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Have you ever had a conversation with someone who is clearly not listening? Or worse, have you ever tried to get someone to open up and failed to have them spit out a single word? It can feel like a waste of time for everyone involved. It’s one thing when this happens with the absent-minded neighbor you run into at the grocery store, but when it happens in the medical practice, it can be dangerous or even deadly. That’s why it’s important to employ strong communication skills when you interact with patients. Patient-centered communication skills will help you create a stronger bond with your patient and will ideally encourage them to open up. Here we will cover why patient-centered communication is extremely important and a few skills that will help you treat your patients more successfully.

Patient-centered Communication

Patient-Centered Communication Skills

Sometimes physicians don’t have the “right relationships” with the people they’re treating. In these cases, the patient may not feel absolutely comfortable or safe enough to speak without filters. This can lead to significant problems for your patient and your career in some cases.

Many studies show strong correlations between high levels of physician attentiveness and communication with improved overall health outcomes for their patients. Sure, this may be obvious to most, but other factors have to be taken into consideration. For instance, when factors like physician burnout come into play, even the most detail-oriented professional can mess up.

Below we’ll take a look at some patient-centered communication skills that will ensure that you’ve got the proper skill set for treating patients.

7 Ways a Physician Can Provide Quality Care, Even When Time is Limited:

1. Taking a seat when interacting with a patient

This is such a basic task, but it does a lot to put your patient at ease and feel more comfortable. This is certainly better than towering over them. Standing can highlight a power-distance issue, which can subconsciously cause the patient to feel threatened. It’s been psychologically proven that when you’re on the same level as you’re patient, they’re more likely to be at ease.

2. Know your patient as an individual human being, not their condition or disease

If you identify a patient by whatever is wrong with them, it can actually put your treatment a step behind. Nurture your patient and understand that they are unique. This is a real person with a real ailment, so treat them accordingly.

3. Show RESPECT

One of the biggest patient-focus communication skills is empathy. Empathy for other people is huge in a caregiving role. Learning how to be compassionate and how to sympathize is a must-have skill as a physician.

4. Be an attentive listener

Sometimes doctors are so concerned with jotting down information that they miss major components. If you find yourself not listening to a patient, kindly request they repeat the part you missed. You never know how big of a detail it might be.

You’ll also want to listen to what they’re not saying. They might feel embarrassed or ashamed to admit something, so it’s important to make note of any subjects they seem to be avoiding.

Overall, make sure you are LISTENING and NOT JUST HEARING them. There is a difference between the two!

5. Calm their fears

When a patient becomes fearful, their stress will only make their condition worse. A physician can’t just break bad health news and walk away from an upset patient—instead, they should show concern and offer help. Doctors should be able to present news, good or bad, in a calm, reassuring manner.

6. Tell them honestly

“Give it to me straight, doc.” It’s your job to diagnose health problems and it’s your moral responsibility to provide the information in a concise manner. However, don’t forget to balance your honesty with empathy.

7. Educate patients and their families about as many different treatments as possible

Again, it is a physician’s obligation to inform the patient about their options. But, their loved ones will also want information such as treatment plans. You should discuss the anticipated benefits of each treatment option, their risks/side effects, and the consequences of no treatment. Once you have provided this information, it’s important to assess whether or not the patient has a clear understanding of the proposed course of treatment.

Now you know some great patient-centered communication skills that will ensure that you’re being the best physician you can be. Again, be sure to create an environment in which your patient feels comfortable and safe. By doing that, it will encourage them to be more open and honest with you, which in turn can improve treatment outcomes. Remember, your patient shouldn’t feel like you are just hearing them, they should feel like you are listening to their fears, concerns, and feelings.

How do you practice patient-centered communication as a physician? Tell us about your strategies in the comments below…

Author: Locum Jobs Online

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