Barriers to Effective Communication in Healthcare
Barriers to Effective Communication in Healthcare
February 26, 2012
Abstract The purpose of this project is to review the barriers that exist in the healthcare industry when it comes to effective communication. Barriers are the factors that hinder or disrupt the flow of communication in one direction or the other. These barriers include but are not limited to cultural differences, differences in languages, and low health literacy. Research suggests that the use of unexplained medical terminology can be a huge barrier to effective communication in clinical encounters, which leads to unnecessary patient anxiety and potentially poorer health outcomes (Koch-Weser, DeJong & Rudd, 2009). The Research Question for this study is: What necessary steps are being taken throughout the health care industry to alleviate communication gaps between health care professionals and their patients?
Barriers to Effective Communication in Health Care
Introduction
Communication plays an important role in patient safety, quality of care and patients’ rights. Barriers to heath care are obstacles within our health care system which prevents patients who are vulnerable from obtaining needed health care due to geographic barriers, cultural barriers, socioeconomic barriers, organizational barriers, and a combination of these issues. A barrier, as used throughout this paper, will pertain to the restricted use of health services. If a patient’s health beliefs or expectations are not in line with what their health care provider proposes, they may very well experience barriers to the benefits of health services. The use of health services will be defined as the process of seeking and submitting oneself to the application of regular, professional health services, with the sole purpose to prevent or treat a health problem. In this paper we will focus on the barriers that may hinder an individual’s ability to obtain the
February 26, 2012
Abstract The purpose of this project is to review the barriers that exist in the healthcare industry when it comes to effective communication. Barriers are the factors that hinder or disrupt the flow of communication in one direction or the other. These barriers include but are not limited to cultural differences, differences in languages, and low health literacy. Research suggests that the use of unexplained medical terminology can be a huge barrier to effective communication in clinical encounters, which leads to unnecessary patient anxiety and potentially poorer health outcomes (Koch-Weser, DeJong & Rudd, 2009). The Research Question for this study is: What necessary steps are being taken throughout the health care industry to alleviate communication gaps between health care professionals and their patients?
Barriers to Effective Communication in Health Care
Introduction
Communication plays an important role in patient safety, quality of care and patients’ rights. Barriers to heath care are obstacles within our health care system which prevents patients who are vulnerable from obtaining needed health care due to geographic barriers, cultural barriers, socioeconomic barriers, organizational barriers, and a combination of these issues. A barrier, as used throughout this paper, will pertain to the restricted use of health services. If a patient’s health beliefs or expectations are not in line with what their health care provider proposes, they may very well experience barriers to the benefits of health services. The use of health services will be defined as the process of seeking and submitting oneself to the application of regular, professional health services, with the sole purpose to prevent or treat a health problem. In this paper we will focus on the barriers that may hinder an individual’s ability to obtain the
References: Koch-Weser, S., DeJong, W., & Rudd, R. (2009). Medical word use in clinical encounters. Health Expectations, 12(4), 371-388.DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00555.x. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Banja, J. D. (2007). My what? American Journal of Bioethics, 7(11), 13-15.DOI: 10.1080/15265160701638546. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. (2011). Staff told to use set clinical language. Nursing Standard, 25(51), 9-9. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Ahmed, S., Lemkau, J., Nealeigh, N., & Mann, B. (2001). Barriers to healthcare access in a non-elderly urban poor American population. Health and Social Care In The Community, 9(6), 445-453. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2524.2001.00318.x. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Wood, J. T. (2004). Communication theories in action: An introduction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Celik, H; Abma, T.; Widdershoven, G.; van Wijmen, F C.B.; Klinge, L Ryan, S. (2009). Breaking down barriers part of health care reform. Nurse Practitioner, 34(12), 6-8.