ADEQUATE DOCTOR - PATIENT COMMUNICATION
Abstract
Communication process gives to physician necessary information for establishing diagnosis and prescribing therapy, and helps to a patient to gain confidence in his doctor and the prescribed treatment. The communication between doctor and his patient is enhanced by the following: openness and conscientiousness of the physician, serious approach to the patient, participation of the patient in decision-making, advanced age and higher education of the patient. On the other hand, communication is less efficient if the doctor has longer employment status, if he/her avoids disclosure of all relevant information to the patient, if he/her is emotionally separated from the patient, if the time for an encounter is limited, if the patient is passive and with unrealistic expectations, and if the doctor is expressing himself/herself unclearly. In order to improve communication with patients, doctors should follow these recommendations: keeping eye contact with a patient, releasing tension from his/her body language, taking detailed patient history with active listening and without interrupting of a patient, speaking clearly and slowly, using language understandable to a patient, treating patients with equality, disclosing all relevant information to the patient and sharing decision-making with the patient. Adequate communication between doctor and patient always brings better treatment outcomes.
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