One factor that may influence a patient’s outcome is the ability for his or her doctor to communicate well.
A new study asked 1027 how well they felt their healthcare provider communicated with them. A major correlation was found between patient-provider communication quality and overall pain. The authors believe that the main reason is that the better communicating doctors gave them the confidence needed to manage their disease more effectively.
Conclusions
Communication skills are an extremely valuable skill that most doctors do not receive formal training in. Ironically, this skill is essential for fully helping patients. Doctors, coaches, and clinicians would benefit immensely from finding ways to improve their communication with patients.
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