In the hustle and bustle of 21st century healthcare that includes a vast array of technology designed to improve performance and deliver better results, it’s important to recognize that the underpinning of successful patient outcomes is grounded in the most basic and fundamental components of best practices – an intentional approach to foster high-quality patient communications. Simply put – healthcare professionals should have a constant focus on listening to patient concerns and doing everything possible to answer their questions completely and follow-up in a timely manner.
A recent article published by the American Medical Association summarizes the key attributes of effective patient communications. RESPECT – a simple concept that requires the same intentional focus as clinical interpretations.
Here’s a brief recap of key steps for healthcare professionals as outlined by the AMA:
- Rapport – Engage and make eye contact. Connect with patients.
- Explain – Ask and answer questions in understandable terms.
- Show – Give feedback that is meaningful and relevant to the conversation.
- Practice – … makes perfect. Establish a solid routine and rehearse those conversations.
- Empathy – The most important concern is the patient’s concern. Period.
- Collaboration – Show patients that you are “doing your part” to help them have a successful outcome.
- Technology – Pick the right solutions for your patient conversations and use those platforms well.
These are simple concepts, but with busy schedules and competing priorities, sometimes many (if not all) of these basic fundamentals are lost in the moment of connecting with patients. And that’s where PREMEDEX can help. Our team of highly-trained professionals interact with hundreds of patients each day to check on their progress after a hospital visit, as well as to monitor their ongoing well-being.
Learn how PREMEDEX can help your team improve patient communications to drive better patient outcomes. Contact PREMEDEX to learn more