Introduction
Communication is an important part of human life because it enables people to share information and express their opinions. Health care providers must have good communication skills to ensure their patients understand them properly. Patients must possess excellent communication abilities to ensure they inform health care providers about their conditions (Apker 2010). This means that effective communication is indispensable when it comes to the provision of quality health care services. This essay examines effective communication strategies in health care facilities to ensure physicians and patients understand each other.
Basic Elements of Communication
Message The basic elements of communication are sender, message, channel, receiver and feedback and there cannot be effective communication if any of these factors is not functioning (Allen and Brock 2012). The diagram below shows how these elements are related and their functions in promoting effective communication.
The diagram shows that the sender prepares a message through a process called coding. This involves the use of verbal and nonverbal messages that are prepared by the sender. The message is put in a form that makes sense so that the receiver understands what is communicated. The receiver gets the message through a channel that may be electronic, print or oral. Communication channels are chosen depending on their availability, nature of messages, urgency and recipient (Allen and Brock 2012). The recipient decodes the message and prepares feedback. This may be answering an email, going for a medical checkup or preparing for a meeting with a physician. The feedback is sent using a channel, and the choice of this is determined by various factors. The receiver gets and decodes the message and takes appropriate action.
Differences between Basic Elements of Communication and Basic Rules of HealthCare Communication
Communication in the health care sector is unique because of the regulations that guide members of this profession. Health practitioners must not expose patient’s information to third parties unless under special circumstances. This means that sharing information is not permitted in health care communication. Urgency is a key issue in healthcare communication because it helps nurses to offer services on time and avoid delays (Apker 2010). Basic elements of communication do not define the objectives of messages, but the rules of health care conversations specify the intention of messages. Health care communication requires patience, compassion, diligence and precision, but this should not jeopardise the relationship between physicians and clients (Allen and Brock 2012).
How Health Practitioners Can Improve Consumers’ Communication
Health practitioners face challenges when seeking information from reluctant patients. This means that they cannot perform any medical operation because they do not have adequate information required to do so. However, they can overcome this by asking the right questions that will help patients to realise they are being assisted. In addition, physicians should be polite and cultivate a friendly environment to make their patients comfortable to talk (Allen and Brock 2012). This will ensure the service provider understands the needs of consumers and communicates effectively.
Moreover, health practitioners may give consumers time to relax and recollect their minds before asking them emotional questions (Apker 2010). This will ensure consumers are prepared to discuss issues that affect their health. In addition, this will create a good environment for the practitioner and consumer to prepare for discussions. The counselling session helps health practitioners to study their patients and understand their communication habits.
Lastly, it is necessary to guide consumers before the conversation starts. The health practitioner must advise patients so that they can understand their positions and be ready for conversations (Allen and Brock 2012). It is impossible to get accurate information from patients that do not understand the importance of communicating with health practitioners. In addition, some patients think that physicians must know their conditions because that is what they were trained to do.
Influences of Culture on Communication
People come from different backgrounds, and this is an important issue to consider when communicating with patients. It is necessary for physicians to understand cultural aspects of their patients so that their communication becomes successful (Apker 2010). Some communities do not allow men to share information with women; therefore, female physicians must know how to advise people from these communities so that they can volunteer to offer information to them. Most traditional societies have taboos that do not allow them to mention or describe some parts of their bodies. This means that physicians will encounter problems when treating infections that affect the reproductive system (Allen and Brock 2012). Lastly, age is an important aspect that determines how people share information. Some communities do not allow men to discuss personal issues with young people, and this affects the provision of quality health care services.
Conclusion
Communication in the health care sector is important because it enables physicians and patients to understand each other. Physicians cannot conduct successful diagnosis if patients do not offer the information required by doctors. Patients must know the functions of various elements of communication to ensure they get quality medical services. On the other hand, culture should not be an impediment to effective communication between patients and physicians; therefore, people should seek ways of breaking customary practices and beliefs that may affect their interactions.
References
Allen, J and Brock, S. (2012). Health Care Communication Using Personality Type Patients are Different. London: Routledge.
Apker, J. (2010). Communication in Health Organizations. Cambridge: Polity Publishers.