Improving Provider to Patient Communication

There is strong research and evidence to prove strong positive relationships between a healthcare team member’s communication skills and a patient’s capacity to follow through with medical recommendations, self-manage a chronic medical condition, and adopt preventive health behaviors.

In fact, in recent studies it has been found that 25% of patients do not follow their clinician’s advice with the following reasons:

• 39% disagreed with what the clinician wanted to do (in terms of recommended treatment)
• 27% were concerned about cost
• 25% found the instructions too difficult to follow
• 20% felt it was against their personal beliefs
• And 7% reported they did not understand what they were supposed to do

Further, over a span of just five years, 1,774 deaths were attributed to a communication failure. In fact, regarding malpractice claims communication is considered a factor in some 30% of cases.

The following tips can enhance nurse-patient communication in most settings:

• Introduce yourself and address your patient by name
• Stop and listen
• Look directly at your patient, smile, and be conscious of both yours and their body language
• Ask for clarity/repeat back communication
• Give a brief explanation of what you are doing and why
• Speak clearly and slowly
• Have patients reiterate directions/new information
• Assess the patient’s ability to understand and comply with instructions; pull in a family member, translator or other assistance if needed

If you, or someone you know, are looking for any medical healthcare position please refer them to visit our open positions and/or reach out to Marilou Lopez at [email protected] or 954-651-9022 x224 in recruitment.