Doctor-Patient Communication

When patients fail to understand what they have been told and do not ask questions or express their true concerns, the medical visit can be compromised (262/1)

Doctors and patients express their own and read each others signs constantly at the same time that they are communicating verbally

In the medical interaction, the sensativity of doctor and patient to each other's verbal and nonverbal messages strongly affects the success of their communication (262/2)

In the medical interaction, the sensativity of doctor and patient to each other's verbal and nonverbal messages strongly affects the success of their communication (262/2)

Doctors inform and educate patients to follow treatment regimens and to accept resonsibility for their health behavior (263/1)

Particularly, when they are ill, patients may be acutely sensative to their doctor's bedside manner- a common term encompassing a wealth of information about the doctor's sensitivity to and affective communications towards the patient (263/2)

Patients and doctors typically have a limited amount of time together and may speak different verbal languages, have different ethnic backgrounds and cultural customs, and hold different views about the illness. When patients are anxious or depressed they tend to have thought and memory impairements that hamper their accurate reporting of information to their doctors and hinder both the recollection of their doctor's directives and their motivation to comply with them. (263/2)

When doctors use medical terminology patients tend to be confused but fail to ask questions. Studies show that immediately after their medical visit, patients forget 1/3-1/2 of what their doctors have told them (263/3)

Doctors... sometimes not listening well and interrupting patients when they express their concerns (leads to communications problems) (263/4)

Certain messages can be detremental to the patient, such as a doctor's nonverbal expression of disinterest... Such communication can be very subtle, but it conveys powerful messages to a patient (263/4)

Communication is affected by context... Doctors tend to give less attention to the problems and disease burdens of older patients (263/5)

Effective doctor patient communication is a valuable goal for several reasons. Patients are most satisfied with doctors who provide clear explanations in terms that they can understand, and who listen to their concerns, answer their questions, and educate them about how to best care for themselves

When patients and their doctor's communicate effectively, patients are better able to adhere to treatment recommendations (263/7)

As many as 40% of patients fail to follow their recommended treatment regimens, resulting in billions of wasted health care dollars (263/7)

When patients and doctors communicate effectively, they can work together to solve problems and overcome barriers to adherence
*Good communication allows patients to ask questions of their doctors, express their opinions, ask about their options, and state their preferences
*greater patient participation leads to more informed decision making, greater patient satisfaction, better adherence, and ultimately improved health and quality of life (263/7-264/1)