Multiple tools aimed at promoting effective communication in health care have been developed and validated in recent years. The SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) framework was adopted from military protocols (naval nuclear submarine technology) and successfully extrapolated to the health care setting (Box 9.1).

SBAR has been adopted by hospitals and healthcare facilities as a simple and effective way to standardize communication and to clarify expectations among health care providers in any clinical domain.

Verbal communication must be timely, precise, directed, and understood. A formal readback by the recipient of verbally communicated information ensures understanding. This two-way aspect of effective communication is analogous to a core principle derived from professional aviation safety [9]. Readbacks represent a proven example of structured language used to provide clarity and accuracy of verbal orders and critical test results [10]. Another classic example of unequivocally scripted communication in the clinical setting is the surgical time-out as part of the Joint Commission-mandated Universal Protocol [11].

Evidence-based approaches for improved communication are widely published and available as resources for physicians [7]. Why are improved communication skills important to surgeons? Multiple studies have shown that effective communication with patients is associated with a decreased incidence of claims and lawsuits, better clinical outcomes, improved patient compliance with recommended treatment regimens, a decreased unplanned readmission rate, and a subjectively improved perception of the quality of care received by patients [7]. Revealing data from a landmark study showed that 75 % of patients admitted to a hospital were unable to name a single doctor assigned to their care [12]. Of the remaining 25 % who were able to provide a doctor’s name, only 40 % were correct [12].

A physician can therefore make a significant difference to the patient’s perception of the quality of communication and quality of perceived care, by taking a critical moment of time for a formal introduction [7]. This includes providing the physician’s name, ideally in conjunction with handing out a personal business card, and by briefly explaining the physician’s role in the patient’s plan of care, as well as a brief background on the level of training and expertise [7]. The ‘AIDET’ mnemonic represents an evidence-based, proven framework of successful communication between physicians and patients (Box 9.2) [7].