PATIENT COMMUNICATION

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For success in private practice communication skills are very important.

At the outset clinicians must realize that is the whole facility which communicates and conveys  a message. Also everyone must realize that body language plays an EXTREMELY important part in any communication. Body language will be covered in a separate chapter.

Infinite number of factors determine the quality and out come of communication between facility and the patient. Verbal communication is only a part of overall communication between facility and a patient.

A dental practice also conveys the image by its decor, ambience, neatness, cleanliness , choice of stationery and above all the body language of the staff and the clinician etc.

This is not to under emphasize the importance of verbal communication. Verbal communication is very important and plays an important role in the success of the practice.

All successful clinicians know which aspects of the facility can be changed and what cannot be  changed. They modulate aspects of their facility and verbal communication to compensate for the drawbacks of bad aspects.

All successful clinicians  are good communicators. In this essay I have tried to make a list of factors affecting communication skills.

However note that communication between human beings is an extremely complex phenomenon and multiple factors affect and determine the outcome of communication.

It is almost impossible to make a list of factors effecting communication between a clinician and a patient. However, I have made an attempt to list a few . This will help those who want to  improve their communication skills. Clinicians should start working on each of these points.

It takes a life time to improve your communication skills but you have to begin somewhere

However communication also involves vocabulary, tone, modulation of the voice, etc. Many of these can be consciously improved. The aim of this blog is to make a list of factors for which efforts can be made to improve upon.

So I have attempted to make a list of points which affect clinician patient communication and which can be consciously improved by any clinician.

Verbal communication is a reflection of an individuals personality. Some general factors which affect a dentists overall communication:

1] The kind of mood you usually are in. The personality type of the dentist.

2] Do you enjoy meeting people? Can you see good points in others ?

3] Do you like socialising / conversing with people or not.

4] Are you financially stressed

Some of the personal factors which affect the communication are

1.      Appearance

2.      Cleanliness and grooming

3.      Physical  health

4.      Dress sense

5.      Whether tiredness / weariness is easily reflected on the countenance and in countenance

6.      Mental health

7.      Gender /age of the clinician / patient / staff .

8.      In Indian conditions the ethnicity of the clinician / patient /staff also affect the overall communication .

For improving your speaking skills start working on the following points:

1.      Vocabulary

2.      Diction

3.      Clarity of speech

4.      Tone

5.      Speed

6.      Voice modulation

7.      Grammar

8.      Kind of greeting and farewell

As would be obvious  all the above are deeply inter related. Improvement in any one entity will lead to improvement in another.

Clinicians could start working on all the above points at one time or one at a time as it suits them. The final aim should be that  with every passing year they must be better communicators than the previous year.

The first contact is very important in any communication in any aspect of human life. Similarly it is with dental practice. Patients form an opinion of the dentist within the first two minutes of their first interaction.

As it is said that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.. Points to be improved upon during the first contact :

1.      Kind of salutation and greetings

2.      Quality of voice

As would be obvious your station in practice also affects the communication. You communication effectiveness must improve with every passing year. For sake of convenience I have divided the stages of practice into :

1] Freshers :

2] 5 years of practice

3] Mid career

4] Senior

5] Planning for retirement

Clinicians must realize the stage of practice they are in and communicate accordingly. A detailed description of each of the above stages will be covered in a separate blog.

Your family & social situation also affects the communication in many ways . This especially occurs with patients who know you or your family socially also. An important point to note over here is that clinicians should ensure that their family / martial problems ( if any ) do not affect their interaction with patients.

Finally your EQ & SQ affect your verbal communication . While IQ cannot be changed EQ and SQ can be improved. As your EQ and SQ improve your verbal communication and its effectiveness will automatically improve.

I hope the above matter serves as a starting point for any dentist who wishes to improve his communication skills. Please note that the above list is not comprehensive but only a starting point.

Finally, while you may learn from others do not imitate others. Develop your own inimitable communication style.

 

        

For one to one consultations on dental practice growth and practice management please contact : todaysmedicalmarketing@gmail.com

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