Patient Communication Resources

by Holly Hayes

We have posted here about improving provider/patient communication in healthcare. The Joint Commission (TJC) has a list of resources on its website titled: Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Patient-and Family-Centered Care: A Roadmap for Hospitals. The R3 Report Requirement, Rationale, Reference reviews the TJC patient-centered communication standards that will be effective July 1, 2012. The standards are summarized by TJC as follows:

The Joint Commission released a set of new and revised standards for patient-centered communication as part of an initiative to advance effective communication, cultural competence, and patient- and family-centered care. These standards are designed to improve the safety and quality of care for all patients and to inspire hospitals to adopt practices promoting better communication and patient engagement.

Hospitals that do not adequately address cultural, communication, mobility, and other patient needs will continue to put themselves and their patients at risk for negative consequences. The Joint Commission has made several efforts to better understand individual patients’ needs and to provide guidance for organizations working to address those needs. The Joint Commission first focused on studying language, culture and health literacy issues, but later expanded its scope of work to include the broader issues of effective communication, cultural competence, and patient and family-centered care. No longer considered to be simply a patient’s right, effective communication is now accepted as an essential component of quality care and patient safety. Additional studies show that incorporating the concepts of cultural competence and patient- and family-centeredness into the care process can increase patient satisfaction and adherence with treatment.

We welcome your comments on effective communication practices in healthcare.

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Holly Hayes is a mediator at Karl Bayer, Dispute Resolution Expert where she focuses on mediation of health care disputes. Holly holds a B.A. from Southern Methodist University and a Masters in Health Administration from Duke University. She can be reached at holly@karlbayer.com.