Reflections by Vijay Nagpal and Bret A. Nicks
While many believe the environment of care is the greatest limiting factor as opposed to quality communication, literature would suggest otherwise. Establishing a positive patient-provider relationship is essential for patient care. One must recognize that while you may not be able to solve the patient’s condition or chronic illness, using effective communication skills and providing a positive patient experience will assuage many patient fears (Mole, 2016). Keep in mind, in general, patients remember less than 10% of the content (what was actually said), 38% of how you say it (verbal liking), and 55% of how you look saying it (body language) (Helman, 2015).
Patients remember
Effective provider communicators routinely employ these 5 Steps
1
Be Genuine
We know it. People can sense the disingenuous person – whether it is a gut feeling or through other senses. Try to see the situation from the patient’s perspective, and it will ensure that you are acting in his best interest and with integrity.
2
Be Present
As emergency providers, we are interrupted more than perhaps any other specialty. However, for the few moments that we are engaged with the patient or his family, be all in. If there is a planned interruption upcoming, make it known prior to starting a discussion. Be focused on them and the conversation; value what they have to share. At the end of your encounter, briefly summarizing what the patient has told you can help to reassure the patient that you were listening and also give them the chance to clarify discrepancies.
3
Ask Questions
To effectively communicate, one must listen more than he talks. After introducing yourself, inquire about the patient’s medical concern; give them 60 seconds of uninterrupted time. Most patients are amazed and provide unique insights that would otherwise not be obtained. Once the patient has provided you with his concerns, begin asking the specific questions needed to further differentiate the care needed. By asking questions and allowing for answers, you make it about them and give them an avenue to share with you what they are most concerned about, enabling you to address those concerns.
4
Build Trust
Given the nature of the patient-provider relationship in emergency medicine, building trust is essential but often difficult. Building trust is like building a fire; it starts with the initial contact and builds with each interaction. Trust is also built on engaging in culturally acceptable interactions (Chan, 2012) such as a handshake, affirming node, hand-on-shoulder, or engaging posture.
5
Communicate Directly
Ensure that at the end of your initial encounter you have established a clear plan of care, what the patient can expect, how long it may take, and when you will return to reassess or provide additional information. Doing this also allows the patient to be more involved in his care and ask further questions regarding his workup and treatment plan. Additionally, helping the patient to understand what to expect while in the department can help to alleviate fear associated with unannounced tests or imaging studies, especially when these tests may require him or her to be temporarily taken out of the department (e.g., a trip to the CT scanner).
Many of these concepts have been identified in patient satisfaction and operational metrics. In one study, wait times were not associated with the perception of quality of care, but empathy by the provider with the initial interaction was clearly associated (Helman, 2015). In addition, patient dissatisfaction with delays to care is less linked to the actual time spent in the ED and more with a to set time expectations about the care process, a perceived lack of personal attention, and a perceived lack of staff communication and concern for the patient’s comfort.
To learn more about it
References
- Nagpal V, Nicks BA. Communication and Interpersonal Interactions. In: Cevik AA, Quek LS, Noureldin A, Cakal ED (eds) iEmergency Medicine for Medical Students and Interns – 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://iem-student.org/communication-and-interpersonal-interactions/
- Mole TB, Begum H, Cooper-Moss N, et al. Limits of ‘patient-centeredness’: valuing contextually specific communication patterns. Med Educ. 2016 Mar; 50(3):359-69.
- Helman A. Effective Patient Communication. Available at: http://emergencymedicinecases.com/episode-49-patient-centered-care/ Accessed December 18, 2015.
- Chan EM, Wallner C, Swoboda TK, et al. Assessing Interpersonal and Communication Skills in Emergency Medicine. Acad Emerg Med 2012; 19:1390-1402.