Paper I
2025 March (Supplementary (SAY)) (2019 Scheme) · 100 marks · 180 min

Question

Discuss the types of communication and its importance in Health care settings.

Q154 marksShort Answers

Answer

Types of communication

  • Verbal communication — spoken exchange of information between healthcare provider and patient/colleagues, including history-taking, explaining diagnosis/treatment, and counselling.
  • Non-verbal communication — body language, facial expression, eye contact, tone of voice, and physical proximity, which strongly influence how a message is received and can convey empathy or, if mismanaged, undermine trust even when the words themselves are appropriate.
  • Written communication — case records, prescriptions, discharge summaries, and referral letters, requiring clarity and accuracy since they form the enduring medical record and are relied upon by other providers.
  • Electronic/digital communication — telemedicine, electronic health records, and messaging platforms, increasingly important for continuity of care and remote consultation.

Importance in healthcare settings Effective communication builds patient trust and rapport, improves accuracy of history-taking and diagnosis, and increases adherence to prescribed treatment when patients understand and are actively involved in decisions about their own care. It reduces medical errors arising from misunderstanding between team members or between provider and patient, supports informed consent (respecting patient autonomy), and is central to breaking difficult news sensitively. Poor communication is a well-recognized, preventable contributor to patient dissatisfaction, non-adherence, and adverse outcomes, making it as clinically significant a skill as diagnostic or therapeutic competence.

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