Compassionate Communication Creates Loyal Patients

Posted: Mon, Jul 21, 2014 07:59

Why won’t patients tell you how they honestly feel about you while they are under your care and control? Maybe the question is the answer: because they are under your care and control. It’s difficult enough to give feedback to a rude server, or correct a hairstylist while they are looking after you – just imagine trying to challenge a physician or provider while under his/her care!

My mother was in the hospital in January. She’d just turned 93, and she was in for 11 days. It was very hard for me to observe inattentive and disregarding behavior, and I had to sit there and bite my tongue because I didn't want to jeopardize her relationship with those providers when I wasn't there.

Consider This:

Where We Go Wrong

JACHO says that over 60% of sentinel events are attributed, at least in part, to poor communication. Almost one third of litigated complaints relate to communication in some way, such as inattentiveness, discourtesy, rudeness, a general breakdown in communication, and inadequate information. Interestingly, physicians with the lowest patient satisfaction ratings had twice as many risk management episodes as those with the highest satisfaction episodes

Deposition transcripts from malpractice litigation involving obstetrical care found that four types of communication problems were present in more than 70% of the depositions. Patients felt deserted, that their views were devalued, that the information was delivered poorly, and that the doctor failed to understand the patient’s perspective.

How many of these issues would be solved with compassionate care?

Make the Minutes Count

Some patients require much more time than others. You make up with one what you loose with the other, which is why it’s important to manage the patient’s expectations. By explaining what you can or cannot do from the beginning (and summarizing at the end), your time with the patient can be more productive - focused on things that can actually be accomplished. I think the skills we've talked about this month (creating rapport, building relationships, actively listening, having a conversation instead of conducting a lecture) actually shorten the time you’ll need to spend with each patient – you’ll hear more, be able to answer more directly, and have a much more lively and effective dialogue with your patient.

The Take Away:

If you can work these skills, they’ll work for you. Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book Blink tells us that surgeons who have never been sued spend only 3 minutes longer with each patient than those who have been sued.

“People don’t sue doctors they like.”

- Alice Burkin, medical malpractice lawyer

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