Untitled Quiz

NS-CHC 101, Unit 9: Provider Communication

• Course title: NS-CHC 101
• Unit number: 9
• Unit topic: Provider Communication
• Instructor: Dr. Veena M Joseph
• Date: 26, 2022

Learning Objectives

• Define and identify healthcare providers in different settings
• Enumerate essential qualities of healthcare providers/professionals
• Discuss roles of healthcare providers
• Discuss importance of communication in healthcare
• Explain strategies for effective healthcare communication

Who is a Healthcare Provider/Professional?

• A healthcare provider is a provider of medical or health services.
• According to the American Medical Association (AMA), a healthcare professional is anyone with the education, training, and necessary licensing to perform a medical service.
• Healthcare providers include hospitals, doctors, nurses, clinics, nursing homes, medical practitioners, nutritionists, and dieticians, among others.

Healthcare Providers (Diagram)

• Diagram displays a circular layout of healthcare providers in various settings, grouped together and organized with relationships to patients and families.
• Includes, for example, Office Nurses & Medical Assistants, Physicians & APPs, Registration, Front Office Staff, Social Workers, Behavioral Health, Wellness Coach, Telehealth Coordinator, etc.

Healthcare Providers in the Hospital Setting

• Diagram displays a layout showing Physician, Nurse, Pharmacist, and Allied Health Professionals in a healthcare setting.
• Physician leads rounds, updates team on patient history, results, treatment response, reviews medication history and summaries the team inputs.
• Nurse monitors vital signs, safety checks (catheters, IVs, VTE, infections, pressure ulcers, falls), provides updates on patient status, and monitors medication.
• Pharmacist reviews medication, checks prescriptions, reviews drug charts, and performs similar duties.
• Allied Health professionals provide care updates, discharge summaries, and follow-up arrangements.

Healthcare Providers in the Community Setting

• Diagram displays a decentralized layout showing Specialty Pharmacies, Ambulatory Care Clinics, Primary Care Offices, Community Pharmacies, Long Term Care Facilities, Community Based Organizations, Hospice Care, Managed Care, Employer Worksites, and Home care services.
• This describes many healthcare facilities available in the community.

Qualities of a Healthcare Provider/Professional

• Emotional stability
• Empathy
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving skills
• Technical skill and knowledge
• Nurturing a team environment
• Motivational skills

Roles of Health Care Providers

• Maintain general health of patients
• Improve access and quality healthcare for the population
• Provide essential services to promote health, prevent diseases, and deliver healthcare to individuals, families, and communities

Professional Roles of Healthcare Providers

• Detailed descriptions of roles such as Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Youth Workers, Doctors, Consultants, Healthcare Assistants, Care Assistants, Health Visitors, and Care Managers.

Why is Communication Important in Health Care?

• Effective communication in healthcare can impact life-or-death situations.
• Patients must feel safe to communicate honestly and openly to receive appropriate treatment.
• Healthcare providers need to convey treatment plans and health education clearly, concisely, empathetically, and accessibly.
• Administrators and providers must share information ethically and responsibly while protecting patient confidentiality.
• Patient perceptions of quality healthcare are highly dependent on the quality of interactions with healthcare providers

Strategies for Effective Health Care Communication

• Sit down and be humble: Patients and providers can build trust more easily when seated.
• Ask open-ended questions using the BATHE technique: to solicit more information.
  • Background, affect, trouble or obstacles, and handling or coping mechanisms are involved in the technique
• Speak in plain language: Avoid medical jargon.
• Keep communications confidential: Limit access to patient files, and avoid casual discussions outside the care team.
• Hire interpreters and culturally competent staff: Promote effective communication for all patients.

Excluded elements from effective communication

• Being humble
• Empathizing
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Communicating using medical terms