Explain How Can Both Parties Improve Their Communication Skills

How can both parties improve their communication skills? Health care providers help their patients to have a healthy and long life with the care and attention that they provide. However, both parties have to cooperate in order to improve their communication skills in order to have better medical results. It is undeniable that doctors often just don’t make sense. They use complex vocabulary and they don’t seem to pay attention to what a patient is communicating. One of the ways that doctors can improve this is by being very clear on what their are expressing. Another suggestion would be to train more doctors to be understanding and good communicators. Spending extra time training on good communication skills can go along way. Physicians already are trained for many years to meet their patients needs. They understand the importance of good communication and they are working to improve their skills. According to the UNC School of Medicine, “ The value of good communication skills and the building of an effective relationship with the patient is supported by several medical studies that show that these skills can lead to improved patient and physician satisfaction, better disclosure of important information, greater adherence to treatment, reduced emotional distress, improved physiological parameters and overall better clinical outcomes”. (Drossman MD, 2013). Medical schools
understand the importance of good communication and they are working to ensure that soon to be doctors and current doctors are aware of this. They want them to be able to sympathise and have a good relationship with all their patients because if not, it affects both doctors and patients.
Lastly in order to improve doctor-patient communication, doctors need to be more informed on a patient's needs, background information and outside factors to truly get the whole perspective of a patient in order to serve them better.
Imagine going through 10 years of schooling for becoming an OB/GYN and when you have your first patient you are unable to communicate with her that her baby is having complications and because of your lack of communication skills the woman loses her child. This is why doctors understand that they need to be good communicators; people’s lives depend on
it.
Good communication is not only responsibility of one party, which is why patients should also aim to be good communicators. There are things that a person can do to ease the whole process. The Women'sHealth.org recommends to initially list your questions and concerns. Before your appointment, make a list of what you want to ask. When you’re in the waiting room, review your list and organize your thoughts. You can share the list with your doctor or nurse. Secondly to describe your symptoms. Say when these problems started. Say how they make you feel. If you know, say what sets them off or triggers them. Say what you’ve done to feel better. In addition they also recommend that you are clear about what the doctor is communicating and that you ask for clarifications and recommendations if need be. (How to Talk to Your Doctor or Nurse, 1992).
In addition, patients need to be able to express themselves with honesty and clearly. Ask questions when necessary even though it can be intimidating. Cnn adds, “A recent study showed that many patients hesitate to ask questions of their doctors for fear of being labeled "difficult." Even though many -- if not most -- patients want to share in the decision-making process, patients do not always speak up”. ( Shu, Dr. 2012). Don’t be afraid to be honest with your doctor, they understand that it is often hard to comprehend what they are saying so just be sure to speak up. If they use terminology that you are not familiar with, ask them to clarify it for your or if they are rushing when explaining a procedure ask them to slow down. Be honest and express yourself with confidence; your life can literally depend on it.
To finalise, patients need to be able to follow directions that their doctors give them. When a doctor prescribes a medicine and explains that the patient must take it in the morning and at night, the patient needs to follow this directions religiously. If the patient was taking antibiotics and missed one of the pills, the whole recuperation process can be compromised. It is crucial that patients follow every direction or step that the physician suggestions. One easy way to follow directions it to ask the doctor for a step-by-step diagram so that even though the patient might forget, they still have the diagram for reference. Or if the doctor doesn’t have a diagram that you can follow, just write the directions as the doctor explains them to you at the medical facility
It is unquestionable that efficient doctor-patient communication improves the overall medical experiences because it creates a safe environment where both parties feel respected and trusted. If both parties are willing to cooperate, there is a chance for them to have a good relationship in which all parties are happy and satisfied. “Shared decision making is the idea that as a patient gives informed consent to treatment, that patient also is given an opportunity to choose among the treatment options provided by the physician that is responsible for their healthcare” (Doctor- Patient Relationship, 2017). When both doctors and patients are given mutual respect and power, the outcomes are always rewarding. The reality is that doctors want what is best for their patients, that is their job and patients need their doctors to live healthy lives. It is vital for doctors to communicate with their patients and there are many challenges that can block good communication. Such as: age differences, gender, ethnic differences, religious beliefs, socio economic difference among others. There are many health benefits when there is effective communication and it undiable that the results will alway be better if there is good communication. If both parties are willing to cooperate, there is a chance for them to have a good relationship in which all parties are happy and satisfied. Moreover, both patients and healthcare providers need to have sympathy and a better understanding of each other’s duties and obstacles so they can work together to obtain positive results.