Health Care Communication

Health Care Communication
Tara Moreno
HCS/320
July 12, 2015
Luis Marquez

Health Care Communication
Effective communication is vital to the success of any business. This is especially true in health care.   Effective communication in health care is necessary so the needs and care outcomes of the patient are met.
In order to have a positive, successful relationship between health care provider and patient, it is important to incorporate the basic elements of communication. A few of these elements are the sender, message, receiver, and feedback (Cheesebro, O'Connor, & Rios, 2010).   When communicating in the health care setting, it is typical that the sender sets the tone for the encounter. The message should be organized and understandable. Body language is as important in delivering a message as is verbal language. Body language is expressed through gestures, posture, tone of voice, and facial expressions, to name a few. All of these play a role in how the receiver interprets the message being sent. And finally, when the receiver responds to the message, this is feedback. Effective feedback is accomplished through active listening by the receiver (Cheesebro, O'Connor, & Rios, 2010).  
Incorporating the elements of communication result in positive, effective communication and can be incorporated in both personal and professional settings. However, there are some differences between the basic rules of health care communication and the basic elements of effective communication. In the health care setting, it is extremely important for health care providers to refrain from using medical terminology when communicating with patients. By using words that are easy to understand and explaining diagnoses and/or procedures in laymen’s terms, this allows the patient to be comfortable and encourages feedback.
Health care providers that practice effective communication skills have a higher probability of gaining the trust of their patients and opening the door...