Doctor Patient Communication

Abstract

One of the key elements in facilitating an optimal patient experience and care involves maximizing effective communication between the physician and the patient. Unfortunately, there are significant barriers that make it difficult for effective communication to be achieved such as language barriers, socioeconomic differences, and differences in culture and ethnicity to name a few. It is imperative that physicians are aware of such barriers and make an effort to ensure that all patients receive the highest level of care regardless of the potential barriers involved. In general, physicians must ensure that they communicate with compassion and honesty. This is especially significant for physicians delivering bad news, and for such situations it is imperative that physicians are trained on how to properly communicate difficult topics with their patients. Failure to do so could end up causing the patient extra and unnecessary pain. Doctors must be mindful that the manner in which they communicate with their patients has a significant impact on the patient care experience as a whole.