In a recently published review of studies, in Medical Care (the journal of the American Public Health Association), it seems that excellent doctor-patient communication can confer some real health advantages to patients.

According to ScienceDaily, where I spotted the report of the article:

Good doctor-patient communication makes a difference not only in patient satisfaction but in patient outcomes including resolution of chronic headaches, changes in emotional states, lower blood sugar values in diabetics, improved blood pressure readings in hypertensives, and other important health indicators.

........ "From previous work, including a well regarded 1999 study from the University of Washington, we know that doctors ask patients whether they understand what was discussed during a medical appointment only about 1.5 percent of the time," said Dr. Frankel. "It is extremely important that a patient be given the opportunity and probably even encouraged to ask questions. Doctors should be trained to routinely check for understanding to ensure that there is neither miscommunication nor mismatch between what the patient wants and what doctors assume the patient wants."

Now this is pretty interesting to me because I have long been a proponent of giving doctors some coaching skills training.

I learned this personal lesson well when I began my coaching training. Somewhat arrogantly, I assumed that my coach training would be a mere formality, as I had already been through a family practice residency program with a strong emphasis on doctor-patient communication. Boy, was I humbled.... by the end of the first weekend of coach training!

I learned to listen in ways I had never imagined before, and I learned to place the client's agenda (substitute "patient's agenda") foremost in our relationship. If the client wasn't willing to follow suggestions, no matter how eager he or she appeared to please me, it wasn't going to happen!! Even if the suggestions came from the client! Remember, patients are as eager to please, or as stubborn, or as forgetful as you or I. 

This article also makes me wonder how an astute physician, who is aware that he or she is a skilled verbal communicator, can use this information to set him- or herself apart from the crowd. If you realize that physicians check in with their patients for their understanding only about 1.5 percent of the time, imagine the power of doing that even just 20 percent of the time.

Even a harried physician can develop a habit of asking: "Now, Mrs. S, I'd like to make sure that what I said was nice and clear to you. Can you tell me what you understood from our conversation today?"

Pretty simple marketing tactic, wouldn't you say?

What would that do to your practice's bottom line in a Pay-for-Performance environment?