Skills training in communication and related topics. Part 2, Communicating with patients, colleagues, and communities

Quality communication contributes to smoother running practices, better care and services, greater efficiencies, fewer unhealthy conflicts, more satisfied staff and patients, and an improved ability to meet the challenges of an evolving and increasingly complex health care environment - With packed curricula in most health care training institutions, and hectic schedules in practices and administrative offices, time for teaching vital communication and interpersonal skills is often at a premium. This book equips trainees with the skills needed to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues and the community, employing a 'learning by doing' approach for effective and engaging learning. It is designed for practice leaders, hospital leaders and public health professionals helping health care professionals upgrade their skills, and especially for faculty members who teach students and residents. Featuring more than 100 exercises ideal for use in a variety of training situations, this book takes into consideration the often limited training time available for non-clinical topics. Exercises range in length from minutes to over an hour, whilst a selection grid allows trainers and educators to select the right exercises to cover topics in the available time. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 11 Contents 6 About the author 12 Introduction 13 Acknowledgements 15 Using this book 16 Definitions 17 Effective listening 20 Improving patient relationships 74 Customer service strategies 120 Dealing with customer complaints 154 Managing patient expectations 184 Confidentiality and privacy issues 208 Intercultural communication 234 Communicating for coordination and consistency 258 Communicating to prevent and reduce medical errors 280 Communicating with your community 300 Appendix A: Tips for trainers 319 Appendix B: The art of giving critiques 320 Appendix C: Quotations on training topics 321 Matrix 1: Exercises by training subject 325 Matrix 2: Exercises by profession 341 Matrix 3: Exercises by time allotment 349 Suggested reading 357 BY ACTIVITY 22 EFFECTIVE LISTENING 20 Session openers 22 1 Practice in effective listening 22 2 The look of listening 25 3 Intro to listening 26 4 Person- to-person 27 5 20 questions 31 6 Organizational listening 36 7 Listening between the lines 40 8 Self-test: are YOU a good listener? 42 Case studies 93 9 Faulty listening habits 51 10 Excuse my back 55 Role-play exercises 109 11 Getting the patient’s story 58 12 True confessions 64 13 Behind closed doors 69 IMPROVING PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS 76 Session openers 76 14 Effective patient relationships 76 15 Patient relationships: what not to do 77 16 Cool reception 81 17 Between visits 87 18 Anxious moments 88 Case studies 51 19 Lucky you 93 20 Love me, love me not 100 21 Drama queen 102 22 The maddening patient 103 23 The worried well 104 24 Social hour 105 25 A personal matter 106 Role-play exercises 58 26 No stupid questions 109 27 Vague comfort 112 28 Believe me 115 CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGIES 122 Session openers 122 29 Shaping perceptions 122 30 Customer service needs 123 31 In the patient’s shoes 124 32 Going the extra mile 126 33 What would Disney do? 132 34 And the winner is . . . 135 Case studies 190 35 Small world 138 36 Point of no return 140 37 The great escape 142 38 The fall 144 Role-play exercises 168 39 Pain in the neck 147 40 From no to yes 151 DEALING WITH CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS 154 Session openers 156 41 Emotional responses to complaints 156 42 Addressing customer complaints 157 Case studies 159 43 An exchange of letters 159 44 Hot shot 164 45 Excuse me 165 46 Delay in billing 166 47 Today’s the day 167 Role-play exercises 147 48 To refer or not to refer 168 49 The extended visit 175 50 The waiting game 177 51 Service with a smile 179 MANAGING PATIENT EXPECTATIONS 184 Session openers 186 52 About patient expectations 186 53 Great expectations 187 Case studies 138 54 See me now 190 55 Living in fear 191 56 Quick fi x 192 57 Request for referral 193 58 Ready, set, go 194 59 A long explanation 197 Role-play exercises 201 60 The magic pill 201 61 Just my luck 204 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY ISSUES 208 Session openers 210 62 Confi dentiality in health care settings 210 63 A place for everything 211 64 On the line 214 Case studies 243 65 The promise 218 66 Ms. Mouth 219 67 Pressure at home 220 68 The inquiring spouse 221 69 In plain sight 222 Role-play exercises 250 70 Celebrity secrets 223 71 Sex in the city 226 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 236 Session openers 260 72 Dispelling the myths 236 73 Communication essentials for multicultural care 239 74 The culturally friendly practice 241 Case studies 266 75 Coffee time 243 76 Professionally speaking 244 77 Take my advice 245 78 Traditional treatment 246 Role-play exercises 277 79 Hard labor 250 80 Invisible differences 253 COMMUNICATING FOR COORDINATION AND CONSISTENCY 258 Session openers 236 81 An interesting paradox 260 82 Enhancing coordination 262 83 Refi ning referrals 264 Case studies 216 84 The shift change 266 85 Past and present 270 86 Bewitching encounter 272 87 Dropping the ball 275 Role-play exercises 223 88 Meeting madness 277 COMMUNICATING TO PREVENT AND REDUCE MEDICAL ERRORS 282 Session openers 282 89 Root causes of medical errors 282 90 Coping skills 283 Case studies 284 91 Friend of the family 284 92 Mum’s the word 289 93 Who’s on fi rst? 290 94 Is no news good news? 291 95 Two birds, one stone 292 96 Hammer and nails 293 97 Close call 295 COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY 300 Session openers 302 98 Care coordination 302 99 Building community partnerships 303 Case studies 306 100 Willing to serve 306 101 Out of the loop 307 102 Lack of trust 308 103 Competing practice 309 104 The shy doc 310 Role-play exercises 311 105 Trouble in paradise 311