5 Phases of Patient Communication

We understand the importance of excellent clinical care for our patients. However, we often forget the importance of effective communication and how that improves their adherence to care and, ultimately, their outcomes. As chiropractors, we tend to under-communicate or even over-communicate. We are busy, we are distracted, we don’t have systems in place, and we sometimes assume the patient knows things we know. On the flip side, we often verbal vomit on them with too much info, too much jargon, and too much science. It is like drinking water from a fire hose from them on the first visit. It is okay to slowly drip the information to them over the course of their treatment plan so they can comprehend it and actually implement some of it. In this episode, I break down 5 phases of patient communication and how you can clearly guide them on their recovery from pain and injury, and then what comes next after they are discharged. Just like anything, you may struggle with this communication early into implementing it, but you will improve and you will become great at communicating with your patients. I challenge you to implement a system of communication in your practice, implement it, and then practice it with your patients and see the improvement in yourself, patient adherence, and patient outcomes. Communication absolutely has an impact on patient outcomes, so don’t discount its importance.