Doctor-Patient Communication
Building quick rapport with the patient is one of the initial prerequisites of any professional relationship. It lays the foundation stone of the therapeutic alliance.
Incidentally, studies suggest that we don’t make much effort to build rapport with the patients and their families as we believe that the patient is here for treatment and our primary responsibility is to only treat the patient.
This is true to an extent but let us remember that building rapport with them makes our task easy. Building rapport creates much needed familiarity and comfort between the two parties. It helps win patient’s trust and confidence. It facilitates and fosters our treatment by aligning the patient with us. Patients start listening and agreeing more with us.
The primary objective of building rapport is to earn patient’s cooperation and compliance for our treatment to work. For e.g. many of the procedures like inserting I/V cannula, passing Ryle’s tube etc., are very painful and uncomfortable but if we have good rapport with the patient, it becomes easy to do the procedure as the patient would listen to you and cooperate. Studies also suggest that building rapport improves treatment adherence.
Contrary to our misperception, building rapport does not require time, it requires INTENTION. Simple gestures like making eye contact, greeting the patient, smiling when appropriate and speaking in a non-aggressive tone are some of the good ways to build rapport with the patient. These small gestures go a long way in facilitating your job and earn patient’s cooperation.
Building rapport also reduces aggressive reactions and prevents violence in healthcare. Studies suggest that the doctors and treating team are less likely to experience aggression when they are able to create familiarity and build rapport with the patient party.
Some simple and quick ways to build rapport with the patients-
1. Making eye contact as soon as the patient enters
2. Greeting the patient / responding to the patient’s greetings
3. Attending to patient’s comfort by showing the place to sit
4. Obtaining/confirming the patient’s name and the attendant
5. Introducing self (if meeting for the first time)
6. Starting with small talk before the big talk (e.g. who is this with you or where are you from)
7. Demonstrate attention and interest in attending the patient by limiting interruptions and distractions.
8. Accepting the legitimacy of a patient’s views and feelings, without being judgemental.
9. Using empathy to communicate understanding and appreciating the patient’s feelings or predicament
10. Expressing concern, understanding, and willingness to help the patient
11. Dealing sensitively with embarrassing and disturbing topics.
12. Respecting patient’s privacy and confidentiality.
Building rapport may seem a waste of time and unnecessary to some of us but it is also a great safety tool for the rainy days. Creating familiarity and building rapport goes a long way in controlling aggressive reactions and violence. Most importantly, you win the confidence of the patient for a life-time. It facilitates and fosters treatment by creating a good work environment for everyone. It does not require time, it requires intention. My question to you is – Do you have it?
About: Dr. Indu Arneja is Founder-Director of Indian Institute of Healthcare Communication, A pioneer in the field of Healthcare Communication in India
She has conducted around 1500 Clinical Communication programs for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in more than 100 hospitals and medical colleges across the country.
She is an external assessor for NQAS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and NABH (IRCA), QCI, India.
She is a core group member of Advisory Board on Health and Mental Health for Nation Human Rights Commission.
She is also a visiting faculty to some of the very prestigious organization like IIM Ahmedabad, Delhi Judicial Academy, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi University, IGNOU and PHFI. She has over 30 years of experience in the field of health and training.
She is a regular invitee at National and International Conferences. Recently, she was invited to attend Annual Summit on "Patient Experience and Empathy" by Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA, 2019. She has been awarded scholarship to attend a prestigious communication course ‘ENRICH’ organized by Academy of Healthcare Communication at Pittsburgh, USA in 2019.
She regularly conducts webinars for national and international audiences. She has conducted multiple webinars for Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado, US.
She has a YouTube channel in her name Dr. Indu Arneja and has an on-going series under the titles - "Heart to Heart talk with Dr. Indu Arneja" and "Master Stroke with Dr. Indu Arneja".
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