Importance & types

Importance of communication

       1.    60 to 80% of diagnosis and treatment decisions are made from medical history alone. It is not only important to recognize the disease, but also be aware of the patient’s emotional response to his disease.

       2.    Better communication enhances patient compliance to treatment plans, and because most of health problems are behavior related, medical interview should be more patient-centered to encourage motivation and compliance.

       3.    Good communication has an impact on health outcome.

       4.    Effective communication contributes to doctor’s clinical competence and self-assurance.

       5.    Effective communication contributes to patient’s satisfaction.

Types of communication

I-             Verbal communication

This is done by using language, weather spoken or written. Clear messages require using effective verbal communication techniques.

Spoken communication involves:

      a)    The tone of the voice.

      b)    The art of asking and answering questions.

      c)    The quality of language used according to the recipients.

Verbal communication with highly educated people should be proportional to their educational background.

      d)    The words used should not be ambiguous (i.e should not have more than one meaning).

II-            Non verbal communication

People communicate with their bodies as well as their words. The way we sit, stand and move, facial expressions and eye contact all say something to the person we are talking with. This is called body language (non-verbal communication). It is the exchange of a message without using words, this type of communication is more powerful than the verbal one, because it affects the emotions of the receiver.

E.g. Talking of a physician with a patient without eye contact affects negligence while talking to him with eye contact reflects attention.