Intro text
By Maria Die Trill PhD
Psychooncologist, Clinical Psychologist
Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Madrid Site
Communication helps build relationships by allowing us to share experiences, needs and by helping us connect to others. Effective communication can lead to improved social, emotional and mental
health. When people confront serious illness, feelings of vulnerability, isolation and loneliness frequently arise. It is during the disease process that effective communication is of utmost
importance.
Communication during illness is essential for fostering strong, trusting relationships with healthcare providers. This enables more precise diagnoses by allowing healthcare professionals to
gather more complete information of patients´ symptoms and medical history, and improves treatment adherence as well. When patients understand instructions for their care, they are more likely to
follow medical recommendations and comply with complex medical procedures, leading to better outcomes and improved patient safety through the reduction of medical errors. Patients are also
better equipped to participate more actively in informed medical decision-making processes and asume greater control of their care, promoting thus, feelings of empowerment, especially important
in patients confronting serious, life-threatening illness.
Patients of physicians with high malpractice claims have twice as many complaints related to communications than do physicians with low malpractice claims (Hickson GB et al.,1994). Patient
satisfaction is strongly associated with specific communication behaviors that occur during the physician-patient interaction, such as task-oriented behaviors (i..e., drawings with active
listening), and affective behaviors (ie, socioemotional exchanges, such as showing care, and addressing the patient's main concerns). Nonverbal communication behaviors, such as eye contact and
listening attentively, are also linked to increased patient satisfaction (Roter et al., 2006)
Empathy, the ability to understand, share, and respond to another person´s thoughts, feelings and experiences from their perspective, is the basis of effective communication; it builds compassion and enhances understanding. It should be preceded by active listening of the patients complaints and needs. In addition, successful doctor-patient communication should be uncomplicated, use repetition, minimize jargón (slang) and should be followed by checking of patient´s uunderstanding.
Exploring the patient's ideas about the problem (thoughts, worries, feelings, expectations); taking the patient's input into account; trying to understand the person as a whole; seeking common
ground and partnership (i.e., agreeing on the nature of the problem, on the priorities, and on the goals of treatment), and striving for an enhanced physician-patient relationship (being
approachable and friendly, sharing decision making, showing genuine care) are also importante ingredientes of effective communication.
These behaviors can be taught, and strategies for both instruction and assessment have been developed. Training programs to teach patient-centered communication skills leed to improved physician
self-confidence in communication skills and should be mandatory during medical school.
Clear communication with patients helps them understand their condition and empowers them to make informed decisions about their health.
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