Access Your Patient Communication
Effective doctor-patient communication is a crucialstep in building a therapeutic doctor-patient relationship, which is the heart and art of medicine. This is important in the delivery of high-quality health care. Much patient dissatisfaction and many complaints are due to breakdown in the doctor-patient relationship. However, many doctors tend to overestimate their ability in communication. Over the years, much has been published in the literature on this important topic. Here are some tips for better doctor-patientcommunication . 1. Attention Because of everything they have on their minds, physicians may not be fully attentive in the exam room. Doctors often rely on automatic, fast thinking when interacting with patients. But practicing mindful attention can help them slow down enough to use deliberate, more conscious thinking when patients present signs of something serious. 2. Rapport This is imperative. Noting that the smallest detai