{"id":2218,"date":"2021-06-21T20:23:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T20:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=2218"},"modified":"2026-02-23T14:04:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T22:04:59","slug":"4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways You Can Start Improving Physician-Patient Communication Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\/#1_Use_Colloquial_Words_Phrases\" >1. Use Colloquial Words &amp; Phrases<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\/#2_Explain_Why\" >2. Explain Why<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\/#3_Express_Empathy_Using_Assertive_Communication\" >3. Express Empathy Using Assertive Communication<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\/#4_What_about_difficult_patients\" >4. What about difficult patients?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\/#Remember_Our_Health_Affects_Our_Emotions\" >Remember, Our Health Affects Our Emotions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\/#About_the_Author\" >About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Communication is the most important thing in any relationship, and with our patients, it is no exception. Here you will find four tips to improve communication with your patient.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During four years, I was a caregiver for a family member with a chronic illness. At that time I met some hospitals, many doctors and other patients. I learned about the relationship of doctors with patients and families and realized the best ways to approach patients. I also had the experience of hearing tangled words and understanding them better and better as I progressed in my studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From my standpoint, here are the best tips to help the patient and their families feel better, through communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Use_Colloquial_Words_Phrases\"><\/span>1. Use Colloquial Words &amp; Phrases<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When two people are talking in different languages, it is not communication. For us health professionals, technicalities are our everyday language, but for our patients, it is a totally unknown language, so it is best to explain with metaphors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if I explain to my patient that self-medicating with antibiotics could be dangerous because it damages the microbiota, probably he will not understand me. But, if I told my patient that the microbiota is like a garden, with good bacterias and other microorganisms like plants, and they don&#8217;t allow the growth of grass, (bad bacterias), he will be more careful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/communication-is-powerful.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/communication-is-powerful.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/communication-is-powerful.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Explain_Why\"><\/span>2. Explain Why<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s easier to persuade when you present the reasons why. When we explain to someone the why, of the treatment, the therapies, the diet, he will understand the importance of following the step by step. It&#8217;s not the same: You need to exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, say: \u201cWhen you exercise, you&#8217;re going to oxygenate all the cells in your body, including your brain, It will make you more productive and perform better, your body will be activated, you&#8217; wi&#8217;ll feel very good because when you exercise, the brain produces chemicals that will make you feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For us what seems simple is a new world for patients, stopping to explain how things work will give them peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Express_Empathy_Using_Assertive_Communication\"><\/span>3. Express Empathy Using Assertive Communication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that patients are always in a vulnerable position. They are sick, and that in itself is a stressor. The least they expect from us is comfort and also why they never expect to be treated badly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have time, it&#8217;s good to listen and let your patients vent. Hearing from your patients is an important part of assertive communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If there isn&#8217;t time, it&#8217;s try to change the subject in a delicate way, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2021\/04\/19\/how-to-practice-empathy-as-a-nurse-and-why-you-should\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">speaking as you would like to be spoken to, with empathy<\/a>. For example, &#8220;What you&#8217;re telling me is very important, and we could talk about it at another time, but for this moment we need to discuss&#8230;(objective of the medical consultation).&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What patients expect most from us is the solution to their ailments, not only physical but also emotional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Clinician&#039;s Corner: Tips on empathetic listening for clinicians\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VL_J6ZpbjcE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_What_about_difficult_patients\"><\/span>4. What about difficult patients?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many times patients are irritable, and instead of wanting to vent, they want to fight with us. That is why we must remain calm, and let them know that we have empathy for them<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Patient:<\/strong> My health insurance does not want to approve my surgery, I do not understand why you (the doctors) do not help me as you should!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Doctor: <\/strong>I understand that dealing with bureaucracy is difficult, but unfortunately, I cannot do anything about it, because their decisions do not depend on me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This will help calm them down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/difficult-patients.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/difficult-patients.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/difficult-patients.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Remember_Our_Health_Affects_Our_Emotions\"><\/span>Remember, Our Health Affects Our Emotions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Patients are in an uncomfortable situation, often painful, the least they expect is to have a good relationship with us, that we make them feel better. Communication is a powerful tool, with it you can have the best relationship with your patient, and in addition to that, you can make sure that they follow your instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When patients do not understand what is happening in their body, they sometimes worry too much, and many times all they need is to be clear about what is happening inside them, giving them answers that they need is very beneficial for their emotional well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/02\/25\/approaching-patient-encounters-with-compassion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">By improving communication, you will improve the relationship<\/a>&nbsp;with your patients and they will feel more confident to express what they need, how they feel, and this will improve your chances of diagnosing and helping them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span>About the Author<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Andrea Padilla is a second year medical student at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/unal.edu.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The National University of Colombia<\/a>. She&#8217;s from Bogot\u00e1, Colombia. Her hobbies are going to museums, art galleries and the &#8220;septimazo,&#8221; walking in the seventh race in Bogot\u00e1, which is a cultural race. Gloria\u2019s medical interest is between biomedical engineering and the Master of Science Program in Biomedical Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/lets-get-visual-banner.png?w=700\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/lets-get-visual-banner.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/lets-get-visual-banner.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Try Osmosis today! Access your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a>\u00a0and find out why millions of current and future clinicians and caregivers love learning with us.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Communication is the most important thing in any relationship, and with our patients, it is no exception. Here you will find four tips to improve communication with your patient. During four years, I was a caregiver for a family member with a chronic illness. At that time I met some hospitals, many doctors and other [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":2219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,12,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-communication","category-student-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>4 Ways You Can Start Improving Physician-Patient Communication Right Now - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/4-ways-you-can-start-improving-physician-patient-communication-right-now\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4 Ways You Can Start Improving Physician-Patient Communication Right Now - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Communication is the most important thing in any relationship, and with our patients, it is no exception. 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Here you will find four tips to improve communication with your patient. During four years, I was a caregiver for a family member with a chronic illness. 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