Like it or not, healthcare has changed!
It’s time for the way we communicate to change as well.
Evolution often arises during times of crisis, and new technologies that are cost-effective, more easily accessible and offer increased peace of mind to patients continue to emerge.
Research shows that quality communication is the epicenter of effective treatment and behavior change. However, the majority of healthcare professionals never undergo any kind of guided coaching on communication skills and how they can best transfer or adapt to the virtual landscape.
The challenges faced by those who often find themselves on the frontlines of providing care via digital platforms include:
- Developing new communication skills and strategies to compensate for a lack of visual and tactile cues or information
- Difficulty assessing the patient’s full understanding of the treatment or recommended guidelines
- Difficulty managing any misunderstandings; emotions or gaps in communication
- Maintaining distinctive assessments for routine calls that can help reduce risk of illness, injury, or even death
- Getting detailed feedback on the quality of their interactions so they can improve their ability to connect and educate
Additionally, misunderstanding information from a healthcare consultation is a common problem, with an estimated 40 to 80% of information either having been forgotten immediately or remembered incorrectly.
This is a problem that only gets worse for telephone consultations, given that up to 55% of the impact for in-person consultations can be attributed to visual and non-verbal communication.
You’d never blindly prescribe a treatment or intervention for patients under your care. Nor would you ever forego research on ways to improve the level of care you provide…
so why would you ignore the one thing that connects the person with the intervention; great communication?
Soft-skills strengthen our screen-side etiquette.
Give your clients and patients the care they deserve, by doubling down on not just WHAT you communicate, but HOW.
