Chapter 16: Health Care
Communication
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Communication Process
• Sender: person who transmits message
• Message: information sender conveys
• Receiver: person who gets message
• Feedback: evaluation to ensure message was
understood
• Channel: medium by which message is sent
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Communication Process (cont’d)
• Flow of communication between a medical assistant and
a patient
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Communication Modes
• Verbal Communication
–
General recommendations
• Always use a polite tone
• Always use proper English
• Speak respectfully
• Avoid using overly technical vocabulary
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Verbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Factors
• Language
• Manner & tone
• Verbal encouragement
• Humor
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Verbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Non-language sounds
• Sighs
• Sobs
• Laughs
• Grunts
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Verbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Assertive communication
• Have empathy
• Describe feelings or the situation
• Clarify expectations
• Anticipate consequences
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Verbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Active listening
• Give your full attention to the person speaking
• Don’t interrupt
• Pay attention to the speaker’s body language & nonverbal
cues
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Nonverbal Communication
–
Eye contact
• Shows interest in other person
• Lends sense of truthfulness to your message
• In other cultures, may have negative connotation
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Kinesics or body movement
• Facial expressions
• Gestures
• Eye movement
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Proxemics or personal space
• Larger when talking to a stranger
• Becomes smaller the better you know someone
• Typically larger between two men than between two women
• Differs from culture to culture
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
–
Touch
• Can create either positive or negative feelings
• Watch for nonverbal cues that show how the patient feels
about being touched
• Maintain proper personal space, position, & posture
• Observe patient’s facial expressions & posture
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Written Communication
–
Types
• Agendas for meetings
• Letters
• Messages
• Patient charts
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Written Communication (cont’d)
–
Guidelines for writing
• Be concise
• Use language all parties will understand
• Use proper grammar
• Check spelling
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Written Communication (cont’d)
–
Organizational strategies for writing
• Chronological
• Problem-oriented
• Comparison
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Communication Modes (cont’d)
• Written Communication (cont’d)
–
Medical writing: things to pay attention to
• Spelling
• Capitalization
• Abbreviations & symbols
• Numbers
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Communication With Patients
• Patient Interviews
–
General guidelines
• Listen actively
• Ask appropriate questions
• Record information accurately
• Protect patient’s privacy
• Be organized
• Avoid attending to distractions
• Let patient know who will see her next & when
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Communication With Patients (cont’d)
• Patient Interviews (cont’d)
–
Basic interview techniques
• Reflecting
• Paraphrasing
• Clarification
• Open-ended questioning
• Summarizing
• Silences
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Communication With Patients (cont’d)
• Patient Interviews (cont’d)
–
New patient interviews
• Patient’s medical & family history
• Brief review of body systems
• Patient’s social history
• Patient’s medications
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Communication With Patients (cont’d)
• Patient Interviews (cont’d)
–
Established patient interviews
• Review patient’s chart for health problems
• Ask questions about current medical problems & changes in
health
• Ask about known allergies
• Record patient information
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Communication With Patients (cont’d)
• Patient Education
–
Assess
–
Plan
–
Implement
–
Evaluate
–
Document
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Communication With Patients (cont’d)
• Example of a pictogram that might be given to patients
to help them understand medication administration
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Recording and Reporting
• Record patient information completely & precisely
• Record information only in secure & appropriate locations
• Record any action you take concerning a patient
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Communication Challenges
• Medical terminology unfamiliar to patient
• Distractions: pain, hunger, noisy environment
• Language barriers
• Hearing impairment
• Cognitive impairment
• Anger or upset
• Grief
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Telephone Manners
• Answer phone promptly—by second ring, if possible
• Identify yourself & your office to caller
• Speak politely
• Never put a caller on hold immediately after answering
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