NHA Chapter 16 Communication and Customer Service

Body language

A method of communication that uses body movements, or positional changes to express a persons feelings.

Use skilled interviewing techniques

Ask patients a variety of open and closed ended questions to encourage them to explain more about their health and daily behaviors. "can you tell me more about yourself" or "can you explain what you were doing when you started to feel that pain?" can help to open communication by allowing the patient to explain their point of view.

Provide Empathy

Avoid jumping to conclusions or passing judgement by being empathetic and providing encouragement.

Display Professionalism

Details such as physical appearence, eye contact, and displaying an understanding and knowledge of the situation enhances confidence of patient with the provided care.

Analytical Communicator

Prefers to work with real numbers, facts and data and places very little emphasis on feelings or emotions.

Demonstrate empathy not sympathy

In any conversation, consider what others might be experiencing, but displays of sympathy are nonproductive.

Stick with the facts

It is easy to divert away from the primary conversation and begin to develop personal opinions. In both of these situations, stick to the fact and remain objective to ensure comprehension of the material being presented.

Intuitive Communicator

Prefers to look at the big picture. While this can be an efficient style, it sometimes can result in more questions than answers if too broad of an approach is used.

Practice collaboration

Patients are more likely to positively respond to recommendations and questions in collaborative settings. When the patient is part of the health care team, communication is more effective and overall care improves.

Functional Communicator

Prefers an organized approach to work with timelines and detailed plans. Uses step by step method to solve problems and communicate information. This can be an effective style of communication if the patient does not become overwhelmed with too many details.

Embrace technology

Provides health care professionals many ways to communicate with patients. However, take care not to overwhelm the patient. Instead of flooding the patient with messages from multiple platforms, select no more than three communication channels and use them well. If patient is only comfortable with one method, it is best to just provide communication via the preferred method.

Customer Service

Providing quality attention and assistance to a consumer of a product or service.

Closed ended questions

Questions that have a limited number of possible responses.

Leading questions

Questions that tend to lead the respondent into the desired answer.

Internal communication

Sharing info within a business or organization.

External communication

Sharing information between a business or organization and an outside entity.

Closing

The complimentary closing and signature.

Body

The content and information to be communicated.

Consider safety first

The patient needs to feel comfortable and secure to trust the health care team and engage openly in conversations.

Communication

The process of exchanging information via verbal or non verbal methods.

Opening

The recipients address and salutation.

Verbal Communication

The use of spoken words to convey information.

Use active listening

This skill demonstrates concern and interest in what is being communicated.

Personal Communicator

Uses emotional language and connections. Cares about what people think and feel in response to the information given. Often good listeners and have the ability to resolve conflict fairly easily.

Watch words and actions

Using sarcasm and humor or displaying negative body language, is not appropriate during crucial conversations. Approach conversations with purpose and appropriate dialogue to maximize the level of communication.

Feedback

information given in response to an action to reinforce or improve the behavior.

Heading

letterhead and dateline. (month fully spelled out, day and year).

Positive reinforcement

rewarding of a desirable behavior.

Telecommunication

using of technology to exchange information