With their waiting rooms crowded and exam rooms full, many physicians say they are too busy to be good communicators, researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Rochester say.
But with a little time management and a little focus on communications skills, doctor-patient interaction can improve dramatically, these researchers say. Their findings — a guide to more effective patient communication — is running this month in the July 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Bottom line: Take a minute to focus on the patient.
Other tips gleaned from their research:
- Take time to understand the patient’s perspective
- Reach a mutual agreement on an action plan.
It seems a little obvious, but perhaps even doctors need to be reminded every now and then to establish rapport and practice mindfully.
I’m guessing today’s fee-for-service compensation stresses continue to push doctors to “herd ‘em in, herd ‘em out.”
But in the average 10 to 15 minutes or so a doctor spends with patient, research shows that effective communication skills can significantly enhance the patient’s experience and satisfaction with the physician and perhaps, one supposes, increase compliance. That should make any doctor happy.
One Comment
Somehow, the whole doctor–patient arrangement should be changed to achieve better outcomes. Several acquaintences have died after going to doctors for problems, admittedly serious problems with cancer. But I believe the treatment did them in, not the cancer.
I would like to hear more discussion of alternate arrangements of health care. Perhaps eliminating the doctor level and promoting up the ladder through various levels of nurses, medical aids, osteopathic aids, chiropractor aids, and podiatry aids.
Perhaps the “doctors” at the top should have business or journalism degrees rather than medical degrees so they see the patients’ big picture.
I’m not in the health care field so haven’t given much thought to this but definitely don’t like the low level of treatment with the current system.