Communication is the #1 Skill in Patient and Consumer-Centric Care
Communication between physicians, patients and organizations has been and continues to be a key focus of our leadership programs throughout the country. Several recent studies have found that communication is the #1 skill in patient and consumer centric care. The following are few highlights I would like to share with you:
- In the study conducted by Vanguard Communications, researchers identified the words in nearly 35,000 Google+ reviews of physicians that were most commonly associated with each rating level, from one to five stars.
- Most patients rated their doctors highly, the study found: 61 percent gave five-star reviews, compared to only 23 percent who gave one-star reviews. 96 percent focused on issues such as inadequate communication, wait times, and disorganized operations.
- Among negative comments, the most common issues cited were related to Communication (53 percent); Long wait times (35 percent); Practice staff (12 percent); and Billing (2 percent).
- Meanwhile, the most common compliments contained in five-star reviews were related to: Bedside manner (40 percent); Practice staff (28 percent); and Communication (24 percent).
In both negative comments and compliments, effective physician and staff communication is critical and can make the difference between 1 or 5 rating. In our research on 360 comprehensive feedback data, the top development areas and blind spot for physicians and physician leaders is communication which included clarity of communication, having courageous communication to deal with difficult situations, issue clearance and providing feedback.
That is why I encourage each one of you to take time to invest in yourself, in your team and improve your communication skills (verbal and non verbal). At CTI we want to help in any way we can. You can download our brochure of offerings by visiting us at ctileadership.com or giving us a call at (813) 333-1401.
Reference (Gooch, Becker’s Hospital Review, 4/26; Olinger, Denver Post, 4/26; Vanguard release, 4/24; Vanguard newsroom, accessed 4/24).
