Communicating with Physicians, Peers, Children, the Elderly, and Families Flashcards
What is the primary purpose of communication with physicians?
To enhance patient care
How can HCPs enhance patient care?
- Clarifying orders
- Change plan of care/treatment plan
- Report concerns in patient progress
- Establishment of new goals
- Physician requests weekly/monthly updates
What is the secondary purpose of communication?
Enhance physical therapy as a profession
How can PTs enhance physical therapy as a profession?
- Educate physician about the field of physical therapy
- Educate physician about advancements in field of PT
- Demonstrate your knowledge/expertise and professionalism
What are the two forms of communicating with physicians?
- Formal
- Informal
5 forms of formal communication
- Phone calls / Messages with nurse
- Faxed notes (outpatient)
- Notes in the medical chart (inpatient)
- Catching the doctor on rounds
- Scheduling interactions (shadowing)
3 forms of informal communication
- lunch
- hallways
- social gatherings
What is the best method of communication with physicians?
IT DEPENDS on the physician/circumstance
How often do physicians feel it is necessary to communicate?
- When pt condition changed
- At specific stages
- If not doing well
How often does Medicare require communication with physicians?
Every 10th visit OR every 30 calendar days
What are two other factors to consider when determining how often to communicate with physicians?
- Before the patient returns to the doctor
- Per protocol
How often should you contact a physician?
IT DEPENDS
3 Tips for communicating with Physicians
1) Short & Sweet, be organized beforehand
2) Use assertiveness without aggressiveness
3) Be considerate of MD
Of the 98% of physicians that refer PT what percentage felt they possessed enough information to do so
54%
What percent of MDs received no information on PT in med school?
70%
Who makes up Interdisciplinary Teams?
PT OT Speech Doctor Nurse Social Worker Dietician
Why is it important to have effective teamwork and communication?
Patient Care
Do you think health care professionals communicate well with each other?
No
6 Problems threating communication
1) Role Conflict
2) Role Overload
3) Lack of Interprofessional / Interdisciplinary Understanding
4) There’s no extra time
5) Territorial disputes
6) Dominance/Power Issues
Describe Role Conflict
Someone is trained with one role within a setting, but expected to fulfill duties not within normal domain
Describe Role Overload
HCP has too much work to do in too short a period of time
Two examples of Lack of Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Understanding
- There is little education about other health professionals occurs during professional education
- MDs are briefly on the floor, very minimal interaction with nursing and often no interaction with PT
How do territorial disputes occur?
The expansion of professional roles means multiple disciplines are trained to do the same task which causes conflict
7 Types of Smalls Groups in the Medical Setting
- Rehab Team
- Quality Assurance
- Departments
- Spine Team
- Education Committee
- Finance Committee
- Marketing Committee
What are 3 signs of excessive conflict among small groups?
1) Conflict getting personal
2) Conflict causes splintering of group
3) Main issue becomes lost
What is the key to conflict resolution?
Problem Solving
5 Barriers to Communication with Children
1) Egocentrism (me-only point of view)
2) Rigidity of Thought (Mom is always right)
3) Semilogical reasoning (my dog died because I was a bad boy)
4) Very literal (I’m going to take your vital signs)
5) Concerned about peer opinions
What are the 3 Barriers to Communication with Patient Families?
- Emotions run high
- Multiple sources of input
- Opinions differ from the pt
5 Barriers to Communication with Elderly Patients
1) Reluctant to ask questions
2) Don’t fully report subjective complaints
3) Doesn’t feel responsible for his/her own health
4) Thinks HCP is too young/inexperienced
5) Hearing loss, vision loss, etc.
Ways to Counteract Barriers to Communication with Elderly Patients
- Give extra time to report symptoms
- Observe non-verbal cues
- Ask questions
- Give choices
- Use sensitivity and understanding
- Encourage patients to express fears
- Encourage patients to ask questions
How many Americans does Alzheimer’s affect?
4 million
What percent of Alzheimer’s patients are between the ages of 65-75?
3%
What percent of Alzheimer’s patients are between the ages of 75-84?
18%
Alzheimer’s is the ____ most common cause of death in US
4th
1 out of ___ families will see one parent affected
3
