Steps For Strengthening The Doctor/Patient Relationship
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Peg Smith
May 21, 2013, 8:48:06 PM5/21/13
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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Peg Smith
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Article Title: Steps For Strengthening The Doctor/Patient Relationship
Author: Peg Smith
Word Count: 721
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1840499&ca=Medical+Business
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1840499
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1840499
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To most patients, medical jargon can sound like a foreign language. For this reason, open communication between the doctor and patient is essential to the patient�s understanding of their situation. Misunderstandings from either side can result in mistakes that hurt a patient�s physical or mental health. Doctors and patients, then, have a common responsibility to make sure they communicate and understand one another as clearly as possible. By following a few simple steps, doctors and patients can strengthen their relationship and ensure that important information is communicated in an effective manner.
Make Eye Contact and Practice Active Listening
For patients, practicing active listening and asking thoughtful, open-ended questions are two of the most effective ways they can communicate with their doctor. Too often, patients allow important information or advice slip by without asking necessary questions. It may be intimidating or embarrassing to ask questions, but the reality is that a doctor may be able to explain something in a slightly different manner that opens up insights for the patient�s understanding. If patients have strong eye contact and are willing to ask questions, it shows the doctor that they care about their treatment, which in turn, allows the doctor to invest more into the relationship.
From the doctor�s point of view, they need to be sure they are always keeping strong eye contact with the patient to increase non-verbal communication. While the doctor may not even know it, looking a patient in the eye while explaining a diagnosis or treatment plan actually emits non-verbal cues that show their patient they care. By responding to patient questions with thoughtful, easy-to-understand answers, communication becomes stronger and the patient knows they are being cared for with the utmost attention.
Use Technology Wisely
Technological advances have done wonders for the medical fields, and many modern operations could not exist without some of the innovative advances in medical technology. However, there are both effective and ineffective ways to use technology when communicating with a patient. Mobile technologies like iPads or laptops are excellent for showing a patient a diagram or chart. Visual information can often say more than words, and may actually be a stronger way to communicate a concept that is difficult to put into plain terms. However, reading off of an iPad or electronic device while giving a patient a treatment plan may come off as cold or distant, so the doctor needs to make sure he or she combines the screen time with true, one-on-one conversation with the patient.
Likewise, patients need to put away their electronic devices when having a conversation with their doctor. Unless they are using their tablet or mobile device to take notes, their full attention should be on the doctor and the information the doctor is communicating. While keeping in touch with friends and family is certainly important to a patient�s recovery, those conversations aren't nearly as vital as the ones with their doctor.
There�s a Time and a Place
As we all know, conversations in a hospital room or doctor�s office may bring bad news. Sometimes, silence can be the best form of communication, so neither the doctor nor the patient should feel like they need to say something when bad news is broken. Rather, let the moment of emotion pass and the patient gather themselves. Once the patient is in the right frame of mind to clearly communicate, then the doctor can offer possible treatments or explain their next step. The patient, too, will be able to ask the important questions that are on his or her mind without being distracted by an onslaught of emotion.
For occasions when the doctor doesn�t have to break bad news, they should still be aware of a patient�s condition before trying to communicate. When a patient is in a lot of pain, it can be very difficult to stay focused on a conversation. So, it�s important for the patient to be forthcoming with their current condition and inform the doctor if they don�t feel capable of effectively communicating. Sometimes all it takes is a fifteen minute rest for the patient to feel better and begin a strong dialogue with their doctor.
About The Author: Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Ms. Smith is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to physician relations. http://www.lsiphysicianrelations.com/
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1840499
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
Message delivered directly to members of the group:
publish-the...@googlegroups.com
*****************************************************************
Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Peg Smith
*****************************
IMPORTANT - Publication/Reprint Terms
- You have permission to publish this article electronically in free-only publications such as a website or an ezine as long as the bylines are included.
- You are not allowed to use this article for commercial purposes. The article should only be reprinted in a publicly accessible website and not in a members-only commercial site.
- You are not allowed to post/reprint this article in any sites/publications that contains or supports hate, violence, porn and warez or any indecent and illegal sites/publications.
- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) or SPAM. This article MUST be distributed in an opt-in email list only.
- If you distribute this article in an ezine or newsletter, we ask that you send a copy of the newsletter or ezine that contains the article to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1840499
- If you post this article in a website/forum/blog, ALL links MUST be set to hyperlinks and we ask that you send a copy of the URL where the article is posted to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1840499
- We request that you ask permission from the author if you want to publish this article in print.
The role of iSnare.com is only to distribute this article as part of its Article Distribution feature ( http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php ). iSnare.com does NOT own this article, please respect the author's copyright and this publication/reprint terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms, please do not reprint or publish this article.
*****************************
Article Title: Steps For Strengthening The Doctor/Patient Relationship
Author: Peg Smith
Word Count: 721
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1840499&ca=Medical+Business
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1840499
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1840499
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
To most patients, medical jargon can sound like a foreign language. For this reason, open communication between the doctor and patient is essential to the patient�s understanding of their situation. Misunderstandings from either side can result in mistakes that hurt a patient�s physical or mental health. Doctors and patients, then, have a common responsibility to make sure they communicate and understand one another as clearly as possible. By following a few simple steps, doctors and patients can strengthen their relationship and ensure that important information is communicated in an effective manner.
Make Eye Contact and Practice Active Listening
For patients, practicing active listening and asking thoughtful, open-ended questions are two of the most effective ways they can communicate with their doctor. Too often, patients allow important information or advice slip by without asking necessary questions. It may be intimidating or embarrassing to ask questions, but the reality is that a doctor may be able to explain something in a slightly different manner that opens up insights for the patient�s understanding. If patients have strong eye contact and are willing to ask questions, it shows the doctor that they care about their treatment, which in turn, allows the doctor to invest more into the relationship.
From the doctor�s point of view, they need to be sure they are always keeping strong eye contact with the patient to increase non-verbal communication. While the doctor may not even know it, looking a patient in the eye while explaining a diagnosis or treatment plan actually emits non-verbal cues that show their patient they care. By responding to patient questions with thoughtful, easy-to-understand answers, communication becomes stronger and the patient knows they are being cared for with the utmost attention.
Use Technology Wisely
Technological advances have done wonders for the medical fields, and many modern operations could not exist without some of the innovative advances in medical technology. However, there are both effective and ineffective ways to use technology when communicating with a patient. Mobile technologies like iPads or laptops are excellent for showing a patient a diagram or chart. Visual information can often say more than words, and may actually be a stronger way to communicate a concept that is difficult to put into plain terms. However, reading off of an iPad or electronic device while giving a patient a treatment plan may come off as cold or distant, so the doctor needs to make sure he or she combines the screen time with true, one-on-one conversation with the patient.
Likewise, patients need to put away their electronic devices when having a conversation with their doctor. Unless they are using their tablet or mobile device to take notes, their full attention should be on the doctor and the information the doctor is communicating. While keeping in touch with friends and family is certainly important to a patient�s recovery, those conversations aren't nearly as vital as the ones with their doctor.
There�s a Time and a Place
As we all know, conversations in a hospital room or doctor�s office may bring bad news. Sometimes, silence can be the best form of communication, so neither the doctor nor the patient should feel like they need to say something when bad news is broken. Rather, let the moment of emotion pass and the patient gather themselves. Once the patient is in the right frame of mind to clearly communicate, then the doctor can offer possible treatments or explain their next step. The patient, too, will be able to ask the important questions that are on his or her mind without being distracted by an onslaught of emotion.
For occasions when the doctor doesn�t have to break bad news, they should still be aware of a patient�s condition before trying to communicate. When a patient is in a lot of pain, it can be very difficult to stay focused on a conversation. So, it�s important for the patient to be forthcoming with their current condition and inform the doctor if they don�t feel capable of effectively communicating. Sometimes all it takes is a fifteen minute rest for the patient to feel better and begin a strong dialogue with their doctor.
About The Author: Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Ms. Smith is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to physician relations. http://www.lsiphysicianrelations.com/
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1840499
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
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