Having Difficult Conversations with Patients

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There comes a time in each doctor’s career when they will have to deliver bad news to a patient. It’s a difficult situation to be in, no matter what the field of medicine is. There are ways to have the conversation compassionately and effectively, and it is a soft skill some professionals may forget to practice more often.

 

A lack in training in communication skills can put both doctors and patients in a difficult position, and often lead to misunderstandings. If the practitioner is not skilled in both empathetic listening and speaking, diagnoses and treatment plans may not be clear, resources may not be presented, and tempers may flare.

 

There are ways to prevent or manage a difficult conversation with a patient:

 

Plan your interaction in advance when you know you will be delivering bad news

  • Pay attention to nonverbal communication and look for signs of anger or distress
  • Explain diagnosis or treatment plan
  • Work to find common ground to regain emotional control
  • Focus on solutions to resolve any disagreements

 

In addition to observing the patient’s nonverbal communications, pay attention to your own to offer signs of positivity, connection, and support. A negative diagnosis might be better received with additional people present, so if the patient does not have family members with them, perhaps a technician or other staff member would be a source of additional comfort.

 

Hiring a doctor with superb soft skills is just as important as having excellent technical skills. If you are looking for help to add to your staff with professionals who excel in both areas, allow me to explain how my team can help. My team has earned an 88 percent success rate in bringing quality candidates to our clients in the first 90 days of the recruitment process. Allow us to assist your practice in staying on top of recruiting and bringing you top notch professionals.