We all need and access healthcare, whether we are lucky enough to be in good health or not. Throughout our lives, we speak to and interact with the professionals who check we are growing, maturing, and ageing as expected and address anything we might consider illness.

A common issue between healthcare providers and patients is that of communication – how can clinicians tell patients what they need to understand in a way that is accessible, useful, and actionable?

Oscar Wilde once said “Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing”

Every patient is an expert on their own experience. What the patient reports to their doctor comes in their own language and with their own understanding of health. Using both these self-reported symptoms and the signs a clinician might test for, we can collaborate to come to the right conclusion. What those working in patient-facing roles can offer is their experience in specific health concerns, as a trusted source. How you interpret the patient’s account of their symptoms can be fundamental to understanding their concerns.

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple”

You cannot tell the patient everything about their condition at the point of diagnosis, and an overwhelming or alarming quantity of medical information can counterintuitively make people feel less informed. The type of information an individual wants about their health varies from person to person and it’s wise to ask the patient what they want to know. Tell them where they can find out more independently, and make it clear you will answer any questions they have.

Some information must of course be given at the outset – safety information about medicines for instance – but the way in which this is communicated can dramatically alter both how it is followed by the patient and how they feel about their treatment journey.

“A man who does not think for himself does not think at all”

Informed consent is vitally important, and in a time when we value patient centricity and co-production in healthcare delivery, it is essential that we explain treatment pathways, expectations, and risks. An effective way to do this is to give patients the tools and resources they need to inform themselves at their own pace. HCPs should take patient concerns seriously even if they are misguided as this can encourage patients to return with any follow-up questions they may have rather than relying on poor or incorrect sources of information.

“It is only about things that do not interest one that one can give a really unbiased opinion, which is no doubt the reason why an unbiased opinion is always absolutely valueless”

Patients base their trust in those who care for them on competence, compassion, confidentiality, reliability, and communication. Using examples of scenarios from your healthcare experience can help patients see that you understand their situation at what may be a distressing time. Give realistic and relevant advice about outcomes and expected future treatment. To enable these conversations, we must ensure HCPs have access to key information, allowing them to impart their knowledge empathetically and provide realistic, impactful advice about health outcomes.

To get patients on board with their healthcare journey, whatever their health condition or status, we have to communicate with them the things they want to know in a way they can understand, at the right time and with the right tone.

At Mednet, we know that a shared understanding helps both healthcare professionals and patients to collaboratively manage their health. That’s why we’ve developed a patient centricity framework to create work which clearly and concisely delivers what people want; accurate, understandable information on all aspects of health, wellbeing and medicine.