Why Communication Matters
Despite efforts to make their journey smooth and seamless, patients often end up navigating their way across a dangerous chasm between primary and secondary care. Without clear communication between professionals and patients, it is very easy for them to fall through the gap. So whether you are working in general practice or hospital, communicating with your colleagues elsewhere in the health system is essential to good patient care. It will also make your professional life run more smoothly.
Key Features of Effective Communication
- Be clear about what you want. If you are asking for professional advice or support, be clear about how you are hoping your colleagues might help. For example: ‘Could you help with establishing the diagnosis?’, ‘Please could you advise on the next steps in management?’ or ‘Please could you consider taking over this patient’s care?’
- Communicate with the right person or team. Referrals made to the wrong specialty or member of the team can get lost and result in mistakes or poor patient care. For example, an ENT registrar accepts an outpatient referral by telephone from the accident and emergency department (A&E) but the team in A&E are not aware of the correct pathway for referral. They fax it to the wrong department as a result. No appointment is made and the patient is lost to follow-up.
- Give clear and relevant information. Poorly presented, illegible or irrelevant information can often cause confusion and lead to unnecessary or ineffective treatment. Writing everything you know about the patient is not usually helpful: too much irrelevant information can mean your main message gets lost.
- Ensure two-way communication.
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