Communication and Relationship Between Health Professionals and Patients PDF

Powered by Communication and Relationship between Health Professionals and Patients Communication is the active/passive process of sharing information between individuals. Communication involves the transformation of thoughts from the sender to the receiver, and the decoding and understanding of the...

Powered by Communication and Relationship between Health Professionals and Patients Communication is the active/passive process of sharing information between individuals. Communication involves the transformation of thoughts from the sender to the receiver, and the decoding and understanding of the message by the receiver. Verbal communication involves sharing information through speech, while non-verbal communication includes aspects such as eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions. Non-verbal communication is important in the health professional-patient relationship and has therapeutic value. Good communication positively affects the understanding of the problem by clinicians and patient adherence to treatment. Poor communication can lead to patient dissatisfaction, complaints, and treatment rejection. Inadequate training in communicative skills contributes to stress, lack of job satisfaction, and emotional burnout in healthcare professionals. Unaware doctors often interrupt patients' descriptions, potentially masking important factors related to the patient's health. Good communication includes non-verbal knowledge, sincerity, empathy, and professionalism. Essential Skills for Effective Communication Non-verbal communication is more important than verbal communication. People with a higher intellectual level understand information easily and accept changes better. Non-verbal communication is even more important when treating children. The use of positive reinforces is essential when treating children. Disruptive behaviors, such as ADHD, are hard to manage, so be patient. Effective communication involves active listening, acknowledging patient's concerns, tailoring information to their level, and addressing their agenda. Juniors must learn how to present difficult decisions to patients in an emphatic and sensitive manner. Clinicians should focus on patient's understanding, emotional reaction, and coping when delivering news. Different types of healthcare professional-patient relationships: dyadic, asymmetric, wait/ hope relationship, relationship of mutual trust, and verbal support. Limitations in clinician-patient relationship include deterioration of doctors' communication skills, non-disclosure of information, doctors' avoidance behavior, discouragement of collaboration, and resistance by patients. Limitations and Strategies for Improvement in Clinician-Patient Relationship Communication skills tend to decline as medical students progress through their medical education and doctors in training may lose focus on holistic patient care. The emotional and physical brutality of medical training can suppress empathy and lead to a lack of communication and understanding between doctors and patients. Serious miscommunication is a potential pitfall in clinician-patient relationships, including patients' understanding of their prognosis and purpose of care. Doctors may avoid addressing social and emotional problems of patients due to time constraints or distress. Physicians may discourage patients from expressing their concerns and may not provide the necessary information for patients to feel comfortable. Some patients may resist the advice of doctors due to social and personal factors. Strategies for improvement include improving communication skills, focusing on attentive listening and empathy, involving patients in their own treatment planning, and providing psychological support through empathy. Communication training should be prioritized to enhance doctors' performance in doctorpatient communication. Collaborative communication between doctors and patients is essential, and the doctorpatient relationship should not be hierarchical or uni-directional. Strategies for improving doctor-patient communication and factors involved in healthcare professional-patient communication Sharing of responsibility and facilitating discussion and negotiation with patients are important in establishing a two-way reciprocal and dynamic relationship. Conflict management is crucial due to the challenges and emotions that can arise in the clinical context. Doctors should understand and respect patients' health beliefs, which may include personal and social factors, values, and beliefs. It is important for doctors to drive the therapeutic situation and introduce acceptable modifications while taking into account the patient's values and facilitating therapeutic success. Factors involved in healthcare professional-patient communication include the interaction framework, health system structure, healthcare professional behavior, patient behavior, and personal/socio-demographic features of patients and professionals. The health system structure, including public and private settings, can create time pressure and long wait times for specialist visits. Healthcare professionals may use technical jargon and underestimate patients' capacity to understand, which can hinder communication. Patient behavior may involve criticism, symptoms description based on their cognitive model, and emotional factors that can affect learning and information retention. Personal and socio-demographic characteristics such as cultural and social rules, ethnicity, stereotypes, age, and gender roles can impact communication. Different models of the professional-patient relationship exist, with power relations being expressed through setting the agenda and goals of medical visits. Models of the Doctor-Patient Relationship The text discusses the various models of the doctor-patient relationship based on different power dynamics and levels of control. I. Paternalism: In this model, the physician has high control and dominates the agenda setting, goals, and decision-making process. The patient collaborates with the doctor and follows their advice. II. Consumerism: This model involves low control from the clinicians and high control from the patient. The patient sets the goal and agenda of the visit and takes responsibility for decision making, treating the medical encounter as a marketplace transaction. III. Default/Absence: This model lacks clear common goals, examination of patient values, and an uncertain physician role. Both the professional and patient lack responsibilities. IV. Mutuality: In this model, both the professional and the patient have high control. Power is balanced, with professionals controlling knowledge and patients intervening in the final decision and taking responsibility for adhesion. An example is given of a patient with pneumonia and three different doctors, each following a different model of the doctor-patient relationship. The text concludes with exercise questions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the different models and what is best for the patients. Notes on Patient-Doctor Relationship and Communication Patient-doctor relationship is crucial in healthcare. Adherence to treatment is important. Good communication leads to a satisfied patient. More knowledge about the patient's reality enhances patient care. Absence of an effective relationship has disadvantages. Patient's opinion and communication are lacking in the absence of an effective relationship. This results in no patient satisfaction and less adherence to treatment. Distrust and professional frustration are outcomes. Lack of credibility or professional prestige is observed. More healthcare spending is required. The patient-doctor relationship is affected negatively. A video showcases good and bad doctor scenarios. Patients have the right to be informed about their diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic possibilities. Gradual and realistic information is important. Dosing information based on the patient's well-being is crucial. Nocebo effect and iatrogeny should be taken into consideration. Tips for informing patients include empathy, respecting silences, and clear language. Supporting and informing the family is essential. Strategies to manage the patient's situation should be taught. Tips for delivering bad news include finding the right time and place, dosing the information, and ending on positive messages. Review of Doctor-Patient Communication The article by Longnecker (2010) provides a comprehensive review of doctor-patient communication, covering topics such as its importance and potential barriers. Hall and Rotter (2011) contribute to the understanding of physician-patient communication in the book "The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology," discussing various aspects of this interaction. Leonard (2017) explores ways of managing healthcare professional-patient communication issues, shedding light on strategies that can be employed to improve communication effectiveness. Morrison and Bennett (2008) provide an introduction to health psychology, which includes a discussion on doctor-patient communication as a significant component of healthcare.