decisionhealth Newsletters, Part B News - 2018 Issue 8 (August)
Have patients write down questions, concerns for more constructive encounters
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Article Overview
This article covers a study on patient encounter communication and practical ways practices can help patients present their concerns more clearly before and during visits. It is aimed at clinicians, medical office staff, and patient-communication stakeholders who want to improve visit efficiency, reduce missed issues, and support more constructive encounters. The guidance includes broad discussion of patient agenda-setting, pre-visit preparation, note-taking, intake review, and communication habits.
Why This Topic Matters
Missed patient concerns can affect diagnostic accuracy, visit efficiency, patient satisfaction, and clinician workload. The article is relevant to practices looking for general communication improvements without changing clinical content or coding requirements.
Article Sections
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Study findings on visit communication
Summarizes the study context and the communication challenges observed in patient encounters. It also notes how these issues relate to visit flow and unanswered concerns.
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Tell docs to resist interrupting
Discusses why clinicians may interrupt patients and the communication effects of doing so. It presents broad commentary on how interruption can affect the exchange of information.
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Get it in writing
Describes the general idea of having patients prepare written material before visits and using pre-visit information to support the encounter. It includes practical communication-oriented suggestions for preparing for the appointment.
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3 steps to take
Outlines several patient-engagement and visit-preparation ideas that practices can consider. The section focuses on general workflow and communication support rather than clinical content.
What You Will Learn
- Why patients’ concerns may go unaddressed during office visits
- How pre-visit preparation can support patient communication
- Ways practices can encourage patients to organize concerns ahead of time
- General strategies for improving information exchange during the encounter
- How patient participation may help reduce missed issues and frustration
Who Should Read This
- Clinicians
- Physicians
- Physician assistants
- Medical office staff
- Practice managers
- Patient communication stakeholders
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