Effective communication occurs when all of the basic communication elements, including the sender, channel, receiver, and the message, are unambiguous. In other words, the sender needs to transfer a clear message through an appropriate channel, so the receiver can understand the message without misinterpreting it. Every communication process is an interaction between the sender and receiver. To send messages effectively, the sender needs to avoid communication gaps, such as cultural differences and aggressive confrontation, and focus on giving an unambiguous message to the receiver through different communication channels. Because non-verbal communication is a significant part of daily communication, both verbal messages and non-verbal channels need to be in alignment to avoid sending ambiguous messages (Knapp & Hall, 2009).
In healthcare, effective communication is essential for patient safety, conflict resolution, respecting cultural diversity, taking in account socioeconomic differences, formulating evidence-based practices, and promoting positive treatment outcomes. According to a focus group study by Robinson, Gorman, Slimmer, and Yudkowsky (2010), clarity of the messages, calm behavior during stress, and mutual respect are the key factors of successful communication while discrimination among individuals and cultural barriers encourage ineffective communication. Although the study focused on interactions between nurses and physicians, the same characteristics of effective communication can be used in communicating with patients.
While the basic elements of communication are also present in healthcare communication, using basic elements alone would lead to an impersonal communication that would fail to build trust with patients and have a negative impact on treatment outcomes. First, it is important to realize that healthcare practitioners are not always senders, but the roles of senders and receivers needs to alternate between patients and providers because the goal is to provide psychosocial support to the patient and form a collaborative relationship. When psychosocial support is implemented through communication in addition to the treatment, both physical and emotional health outcomes significantly improve (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [U.S. DHHS], 2013), so being a good receiver is an important communication skill for healthcare providers.
Second, healthcare practitioners need to take in account cultural differences, linguistic differences, and limited health literacy when communicating with patients. These aspects can be considered the basic elements of healthcare communication because they are critical for effective communication. Several strategies can be used at the organizational level to improve communication with patients. For example, organizational policies could recommend avoiding medical terms when disclosing information to patients, and discharge papers can be written in plain English to improve the patients’ understanding of their conditions (Huff, 2011).
Healthcare providers also need to be able to encourage patients to communicate candidly, which means communication needs to be straightforward and open. When dealing with reluctant patients, it is important to ask them questions and encourage them to share their thoughts and needs. Research showed that when patients are asked about their opinions and granted the ability to share their situation, they are more likely to engage in open communication, and their emotional health improves significantly (U.S. DHHS, 2013). Furthermore, sharing more information about the patients’ conditions, offering support, and presenting accurate and realistic information about their treatments and prognoses was associated with higher treatment adherence and success rates (U.S. DHHS, 2013).
In order to achieve openness in communication, the providers need to maintain an open and honest communication with patients. For example, when physicians disclose accurate and complete information when reporting bad outcomes, families and patients are less likely going to take legal action if they believe the physician was honest (U.S. DHHS, 2013). According to the U.S. DHHS (2013), physicians who were never sued always provided emotional support, communicated with patients honestly, and built personal relationships that took the patients’ desires and opinions into consideration. Apart from fewer legal costs, physicians who communicated with their patients effectively had higher treatment success rates than physicians who failed to consider the patients’ cultural backgrounds or personal needs (U.S. DHHS, 2013).
Cultural differences often determine how healthcare providers need to frame their information to patients. For example, Carrese and Rhodes (2000) studied effective communication with Navajo patients and found that several strategies should be used to prepare the patients for discussions, such as stating beforehand that disclosing negative information is not a personal affair and that no harm is meant to the patient, and that it is always better to frame information in a positive manner whenever possible. Whenever healthcare providers engage in cross-cultural communications, they should be familiar with the cultural values and beliefs of their patients, and they should ask advice from third parties if they are uncertain how to disclose information to patients from different cultures (Carrese & Rhodes, 2000).
In the context of healthcare, communication needs to be clear and unambiguous, but the ways of presenting information to patients and the communication process need to be adjusted to improve treatment outcomes and promote patient safety. Health literacy and the patients’ opinions should be considered because a two-way communication process is needed to build a trustworthy relationship and improve patient engagement in the treatment. Cultural diversity should also be respected, and all healthcare providers need to frame information and discussions in a manner that is appropriate for the patients’ cultural backgrounds.
References
Carrese, J. A., & Rhodes, L. A. (2000). Bridging cultural differences in medical practice. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15(2), 92-96.
Huff, C. (2011). Does your patient really understand? Hospitals & Health Networks, 85(10), 34.
Knapp, M. L., & Hall, J. A. (2009). Nonverbal communication in human interaction. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Robinson, F. P., Gorman, G., Slimmer, L. W., Yudkowsky, R. (2010). Perceptions of effective and ineffective nurse-physician communication in hospitals. Nursing Forum, 45(3), 206-216.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Communicating health: Priorities and strategies for progress. Retrieved from http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/projects/ healthcomm/default.htm
