Importance of Physician/Patient Communication Essay

dissertation Statement The communion relationship between mendelevium and unhurried role has an wallop on diagnoses and treatment options. 1. four-spot pillowcases of justness- grievous affect the dialogue relationship of medico/patient. The quality of communion mendeleviums and patients maintain in the treatment tally is very important as it has a bearing on the outcome of the treatment process. The quality of aesculapian c ar mendeleviums give to patients determines the quality of services exchanged between the two.For converse to be effective, several factors select to be in place. communicating has to be clear, communication has to be timely, communication has to contain the right content, the communication must be disseminated through the proper media and targeting the right recipient. Truth-telling is very central to the doctor/patient relationship. How a patient is going to react to the news broken by the physician is highly dependent on the sort of truth- telling approach the physician chooses.The four types of truths direct, factual, personal and interpretative withal known as hermeneutical truth apply in distinguishable homes. In truth-telling, the physician has to consider the honorable impact of the news and indeed answer on whether to apply principle of non- revealing or full disclosure . Depending on the situation the truths could come across or conceal information. This is determined by the manakin of relationship existing between the patient and the physician. In the process of truth-telling the right environment has to be present.There is a need for religious belief between the patient and the physician as the level of trust the two parties have for each other directly impacts on communication and perception. There is need for empathy oddly considering the fact that some of the news the patient is potential to vex could be severely news concerning issues ranging from death to serious medical checkup conditions. This calls for the physician to gauge the situation and decide on what to reveal or what to conceal.Such a step is likely to save the patient from the badgering of having to cope with bad news or the consequences of such breaking of news. There is a need for longanimity on the part of the physician as well as the part of the patient considering the fact that medical disclosure has an undeni equal impact on the communication relationship between the patient and the physician. Physicians should be able to cargonfully tumble information before disseminating such to the patient.This calls for the physician to be able to set practical goals for the patient and not to raise hopes even when the situation is clearly negative. This implies that it is the province of the physician to choose what kind of truth to apply as some situations whitethorn call for direct truth eyepatch others may call for factual truth. In some instances, personal truth may be applicable while in other cases, only interpretive truth could be applicable. However, the bottom line is for the physician to be analytical enough to oppositeiate situations and decide on the best approach to use.Truth-telling is very important in the medical disclosure process since how poorly or well executed the disclosure is carried out, always has a effectual implication. In some other cases, the process of disclosure could have business implications especially if the wellness c ar setting is in private practice. A physician is supposed to consider numerous factors especially in insure to the physicians code of conduct. This calls for the physician to consider issues such as pagan factors .Depending on the culture of the patient, the physicians should device or even improvise communication strategies which will not go in contravention of the heathenish beliefs and pagan norms of the patients. This points to the importance of physicians knowledge in cultural issues in the community where the physician s erves. The physician must understand how diametrical cultures treat issues such as death. Such knowledge is important because breaking news in an offensive manner could cause inessential tensions between the physician and the patient.Truth-telling then should be determined by cultural considerations and depending on cultural orientations of the patient, it is the responsibility of the physician to choose the method of communication, the approach to use as well as how the different types of truths are applicable in the given cultural setting . Truth-telling from the physicians perspective, consist of full disclosure or limited disclosure . Several factors determine what type of disclosure the physician finally settles on.However, it is all-important(a) for the physician to consider the patients right to know when it comes to the ending on whether to give full disclosure or limited disclosure . The right to know as it applies to the patient is a implicit in(p) human right. Howe ver, to the physician it is a header of ethics and implications. This results into a kind of conflict within the physicians mind as well as between the physician and the patient . The situation worsens if the legal implications of a full disclosure are higher than the potential benefits.This is when a physician is supposed to mold a rational decision and go for the limited disclosure . It is evident that some issues that surround the physicians ability to tell the truth are beyond the physicians ability and as a result, the physician has to possess high communication skills. The physician is faced with the problem of honouring and fulfilling the needs and demands of the patient. as important are the personal traits of the physician given the fact that some decisions a physician makes are largely determined by the character of the physician .A physician who is indecisive is likely to tumble to make the right decisions while a physician who is apt is likely to make decisions on th e kind of disclosure to make to the patient . Apart from physicians personal ability to deal with contend situations, other factors come in play in regard to physicians perspective nearly disclosures. The impact of the physicians origin is demonstrated in the kind of decisions which the physician makes when it comes to disclosures.For instance, the origin of the physician especially in regard to expatriates has an effect on the kind of decisions considering the fact that different places have different norms and standards of doing things. However, physicians code of conduct demands that every physician consider the outcome of truth-telling in regard to psychological repercussions of the decisions the physician makes. The origin of the physician also determines the effectiveness of the physicians communication as historical and cultural factors all have an effect on truth-telling.If a physician has gone through a traumatizing one-time(prenominal) or had encountered difficult and c hallenging situations in the past, this fucking have an impact on the kind of decision the physician makes . However, professionalism dictates that the physician must always act in the best interest of the patient in as long as the decisions do not hurt any party. There still system a dilemma amongst galore(postnominal) physicians when faced with the question of whether to obey the wishes of the patient or to go by their instincts as informed by professionalism.The physicians conduct, when around the patient, bed aid or jam patients compliance and satisfaction . It is imperative for the physician to understand the psychological process or disposition the patient undergoes while sick. By the physician behaving in an offensive or unprofessional manner, this can lead to the patient becoming non-compliant and to become dissatisfied. This sets the precedence for communication breakdown and at this level the question ceases being what kind of truth-telling to tell but how to save the situation and improve the relationship between the patient and the physician.If a physician behaves in an offensive manner next to the patients bed, this again hinders the trust the patient has on the physician and the whole institution of wellness care . This implies that the conduct of a physician has far reaching implications for the professionals not only in the sense of communication but also in the aspect of business relationships . A physician who conducts business in a knowledgeable manner by respecting the cultural background of the patient as well as upholding religious beliefs and background of the patient is likely to enjoy compliance from the patient .Such a physician easily overcomes obstacles and communication becomes easy. The physician who sets such a conducive environment is more likely to experience less challenges in the process of truth-telling and the physician may not experience difficulties in choosing amongst the four types of truths the best and the most su itable for the given situation . Truth-telling from the patients perspective can be fully truthful or limited for galore(postnominal) reasons. This is because there are effect associated with self-disclosure as there are implications for malpractice.The psychological effects of self-disclosure include the following. A feeling of unworthiness, desperation, vulnerability, as well as the high chances of suffering from psychological conditions such as underscore or depression. There are physiological effects associated with self-disclosure. Such may include the craving of a patient to commit harmful actions, self-negligence resulting into body harm as well as harming of those around the patient. long-suffering dissatisfaction leads to claims of malpractice which finally have the potential of affecting the professional.Claims of malpractice affect the credibility of a physician, the credibility of the institution and could also have financial implications . The patient has a right t o receive the best care possible and therefore the issues the patient brings out must be addressed fully and without prejudice. The effect bad news lurch has on the communication relationship of the physician/patient vary from individual to individual . For the physician, verbal/non-verbal communication aspect of delivering bad news holds the key to what kind of communication relationship the two are likely to enjoy.As such, the physician must be equipped through training and utilization of the relevant engineering to execute and deliver communication in the best way possible. Bad news have different impacts on different patients. This calls for the physician to be analytical about situations and never to take situations for granted by generalization but rather to treat each case as special. Bad news delivery has negative consequences not only for the physician but more so for the patient who suffers psychologically as a result of bad news delivery.Poor delivery of bad news has on many occasions resulted to patients being shocked and in some cases, dying as a result of the effects of bad news delivery . This calls for the health care providers to be genuinely concerned on the impact of delivering bad news and therefore to take time to judge situations on merit before remission on the kind of disclosure suitable for the given situation. There is a need for the physician to assess the ability of the patient to cope with bad news as this is the only to ensure that the impact of bad news delivery are kept at minimal.Social construction in health communication has an impact on the patients perspective on communication. Therefore, there is a need for physicians to analyze and understand the patients locus of control when it comes to delivering of bad news. Some patients are more stronger than others and can therefore cope with pain associated with bad news. On the other hand, there are some patients who are weak in terms of the ability to cope with bad news. The refore, social construction in health communication should be considered in the delivery of bad news.The internal/external locus of control requires twain the patient and the physician to be weary of implications of communication not only to patients and physicians but also to the purchase order at large. This is especially so considering the fact that some societies view issues related to health matters as communal or familial and it is therefore not the woof to be left to the patients and physicians only . The impact of different communication styles vary between males and females. This requires the physician to be considerate when breaking or delivering news.Communication dynamics therefore must be taken into consideration before deciding on the best type of communication to apply. The context is important because different news may mean different outcomes for males and females alike. It is worth noting that the context should be considered in the determination of the best cha nnel to use in communicating news. Traditionally, story telling and narratives have been favoured by many physicians as effective means of communication regardless of the patients gender.However, with the advent of technology, there is a need for physicians to be equipped in other means of communication such as Internet. It is worth noting that usage of analogies, metaphors and similes can aid process of communication. However, such aids could be a form of distraction if not apply carefully. The above-mentioned types of aids must be applied only in proportionate measures with due regard or consideration to the confusion they may bring about . Physicians must be able to choose what type of aid suits what kind of situation and ultimately settle on application of aids which cause the least amount of distraction .The best choice of communication aids must be dictated by the different needs of communication for both the physician and the patient. In conclusion, it is worth noting that c ommunication plays a very central role in health care provision and physicians must always bear in mind the implications of the choices they make in regard to communication. There is a need to improve communication relationships between physicians and patients as the effectiveness of such communication relationship is what determines how effective health care provision will be.References Appelbaum, P.S. , & Grisso, T. (1988). Assessing patients capacities to consent to treatment. rising England Journal of Medicine, 319(25) pp. 1621-1629. Bourgeois, M. S. 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