Question

Consider the consequences of a badly written note to a patient.What kind of message does this send to the patient? Why is word choice so critical to pay attention to when communicating with patients in writing? How can word choice impact how a message is received? What responsibility do you have as a medical assistant in ensuring the communication is clear and written properly? What are the steps that you should take to ensure that written communication is clear?

Answer 1

Effective written communication skills are key to productive and efficient care of patients.

A badly written note may be interpreted as clumsy and disrespectful. The patient may feel uncertain of the quality of service he is given.

The healthcare practitioners should choose words that are precise and meticulous because it can be the basis to which patients understand and manage their condition. A medical assistant should ensure that the note is written clearly and properly by checking that the words are understood (especially medical terms), literal, explicit,specific.

The medical assistant should discuss the written communication with its  author, verifying the content. It is best to have the author discuss the written communication to the recipient. If not possible, ask approval to represent. Discuss to the patient the contents of the written communication, answering questions that patient may ask and ask questions to the patient to check understanding.