MEDtube Science 2016 - The Importance of Communication In Patient-Doctor Relationship – A Review

Patient’s compliance plays an important role in diagnostic and therapeutic process. Enhancing compliance can be easily achieved by adequate communication between a clinician and the patient. The aim of the study was to identify factors which increase effectiveness of patient-doctor communication. Proper management should include providing information using a language understandable by the patient, and with just right amount of details. Awareness of condition increases the level of comfort and decreases anxiety associated with hospitalization. Moreover, satisfactory communication with physician might lower the risk of confronting malpractice claims in case of adverse effects. Lack of understanding of their condition and performed procedures raises patients’ doubts about clinical decisions. Doctors having better relationships with their patients appear as being more interested in their opinions and encouraging further conversations. These are the attributes of a non-hierarchical relationship that focuses on therapeutic partnership. Having identified specific communication behaviours, it is possible to design appropriate communication techniques. Postgraduate training programmes could be beneficial for most physicians, and apart from solving patient-oriented problems they could also improve teamwork among the medical staff. To achieve best effects, the training programme should be individualized and depend on clinician’s specialty. Enhancement of physician’s communication skills leads to mutual advantages for both sides.