Hoitava viestintä / Healing communication

Abstract

<p>The primary task of health care is to promote health and treat illness. When the patient and physician meet, the primary goal of communication by the physician is to support this primary task. There is a wealth of research on patient-physician communication, but often this research is unsystematic. Also, the criteria for high-quality communication are diffuse and seem often to rely on the subjective experiences of the patient. <br><br>This study has been conducted to examine the effect of communication from the point of view of treatment and health promotion of the patient. The study material for this study is used to examine the communication of the physician from the points of view of management communication and learning. Thus, the physician’s aim and responsibility are to induce the patient to benefit his/her own treatment and rehabilitation or cure by the patient’s own actions. The goal is to identify the factors related to the efficacy of communication with the help of the concepts of managerial communication and constructive learning. <br><br>The study material for this thesis is twofold. The observational material generated at patient visits is analyzed qualitatively. This will identify a therapeutic method of communication which will be tested with the help of feedback material obtained at patient inquiries related to office visits to physicians. For the implementation of the test, 12 physicians were trained in the method of therapeutic communication, which was simplified into a set of two questions and a summary. The first set of data consists of 36 office visits (patient-physician encounters), the second of 59 replies to inquiries of patients by 12 physicians. <br><br>The result will identify the reflection-construction process of the patient. In other words: each patient reflects upon the physician’s communication in his/her own way and constructs an action model according to which he/she will act during the treatment period. This action model may promote health, but it may also impair health, e.g., if it makes it possible for the patient to neglect treatment instructions. Another observation is that the physician’s attention to the patient’s entire sphere if experiences and values – rather than focusing purely on medical matters – seems to support the patient’s reliance on the treatment, the patient’s reflection and his/her construction of an action model that supports treatment. The third observation is that the learning process of the patient leading to changes in the patient’s attitudes and actions does not have to require excessive time. Indeed, the change process may start rapidly. These observations form the base of a communication model in three stages. <br><br>The present study shows that as few as only two well-formulated questions may change the patient’s desire and capability to promote his/her health. <br><br>Technological development will give the physician a new means to make clinical work and treatment more effective. The personal encounter between patient and physician will nevertheless be valuable. There are legitimate reasons to state that communication by a physician that support the rehabilitation of patients is good and responsible.<br></p>