Importance of Effective interpersonal Communication in Healthcare

Importance of Effective interpersonal Communication in Healthcare:

Correct Diagnosis:

Effective communication in the healthcare industry is incredibly important in aiding in the correct diagnosis of an individual's condition. It is very important that both the healthcare providers and the patient are very clear in what they say to one another. If the patient is unclear, inconsistent or limited in the information he provides regarding his symptoms and past experiences, the diagnosis the healthcare providers comes up with may be inaccurate, leading to mistreatment of the condition.

History:

It is very important that the patient is very clear in communicating her medical history to healthcare professionals. Drug allergies, medical conditions, previous surgeries and illnesses can provide critical information to doctors and nurses while the patient is in the hospital. Failure to effectively communicate these parts of a medical history can put a patient's life at risk. For example, failure to mention an allergy to penicillin can cause a patient to go into anaphylactic shock.

Treatment:

Communication is a very crucial part of the treatment process. Healthcare professionals must effectively communicate instructions for medication and home treatment to the patient. A misunderstanding could result in an overdose or the worsening of the condition. Patients must ask questions about their treatment if they are unclear on the instructions.

Legal Processes:

Effective communication is important for legal issues pertaining to treatment. A thorough understanding of diagnoses and treatments must be established before a healthcare professional can proceed. Documentation of all communications can become important should something go wrong. Documentation of the communication that has taken place can provide a defense for the hospital or ammunition for the plaintiff.

Medical Progress:

Communication is critical for advancing medical progress. Information gathered at a hospital or doctor's office can help track things like outbreaks of the flu or other communicable diseases. Information can inform healthcare providers on the need to stockpile certain medications, ultimately saving lives.