Module 6: Communication and Customer Service

Question 1

Communication

Answer 1

Sending and receiving information, thoughts, or feelings through verbal words, written words, or body language.

Ex:
- Eye contact
- Facial expressions
- Posture
- Haptics or touch
- Gestures​​​​​​​
- Personal space: and not crowding a person when talking with them. A person can shut down the communication process if they feel they are not at a safe distance, or their personal space is invaded.

Question 2

Nonverbal Communication

Answer 2

Communication that occurs through expressive behaviors and body language rather than oral or written words

Question 3

Professionalism

Answer 3

The attitude, behavior, and work that represent a profession.

Question 4

Communication Cycle

Answer 4

Integrates a sender, a receiver, and a message.

The communication is effective when the message is sent and received with the intended purpose.

Question 5

Therapeutic communication

Answer 5

Interaction between a patient and a medical professional focused on improving the physical and emotional well-being of the patient.

Therapeutic communication techniques include displaying empathy, rephrasing, asking questions, remaining quiet and pausing to allow a message to be conveyed, and summarizing the received message.

Creates the opportunity to build a positive rapport and relationship between the health care provider and the patient.

It has a direct impact on the patient’s comfort and well-being related to their health care experience and can encourage a more active participation in choices, preventive measures, and decision-making.

Question 6

Active listening

Answer 6

Engaging with the sender regarding the message and the intended interpretation

Ex: focus solely on the conversation, do not interrupt, confirm the message speaker has said, be respectful and professional

Question 7

Characteristics of active listening

Answer 7

• remaining nonjudgmental
• positive body language
• allowing time to digest words and the intended message

Question 8

Types of communication styles

Answer 8

• Assertive
• Passive
• Aggressive
• Manipulative

Question 9

Assertive

Answer 9

This is the ideal communication style in health care. Assertive communication is a firm and direct style of communication. It includes proper eye contact and body language with a respectful volume of voice.

Question 10

Passive

Answer 10

This style is more submissive. Individuals that use this communication style will use a quiet, soft voice and may display hesitancy. Approach this style with a more assertive response.

Question 11

Aggressive

Answer 11

This style is abrasive in words and body language. Individuals that use this style tend to allow for minimal personal space and use loud and fast gestures. Communicating with someone using the aggressive style can feel intimidating. Respond calmly and never try to match a level of aggression.

Question 12

Manipulative

Answer 12

This style does not tend to be effective, as it is not a genuine communication—it can be very one-sided with ulterior motives. This style can feel patronizing.

Question 13

Open-Ended

Answer 13

Open-ended questions ask for general information and can be used to start a conversation. This type of question can establish the conversation and create a comfort level of discussion. It can give the patient freedom to share what they feel is imperative regarding the topic.

• “How are you feeling today?”
• “Can you describe your symptoms?”
• “Can you explain the type of pain you are feeling?”

Question 14

Closed-Ended

Answer 14

Closed-ended questions are seeking specific information and are more direct in nature. They can include brief answers such as yes or no to confirm information.

• “What is your current address?”
• “Are you feeling better today?” ​​​​​​​
• “Do you have a sore throat?”

Question 15

Feedback

Answer 15

Information relayed to the message sender regarding how the message was received and interpreted.

Question 16

What considerations ensure effective communication when speaking with a patient?

Answer 16

Consider the patient’s ability to comprehend the information. Show empathy for the patient’s current situation. Be encouraging and patient.

Question 17

Biases

Answer 17

Beliefs that are not proven by facts about someone or a particular group of individuals.

Question 18

Gender Identity and Expression

Answer 18

When addressing patients and other medical professionals, ask them their preferred name, preferred title, and what pronouns to use. Do not assume a person is married or single.

Openly communicating with patients helps to build a rapport and relationship that will be conducive to creating a safe and comfortable atmosphere where they feel free to talk.

When a health care service requires considerations based on sex characteristics (such as genitalia, uterus, prostate), refer to the patient’s chart first. If clarification is still needed, it is appropriate to ask the patient.

Question 19

Patient Characteristics Affecting Communication

Answer 19

Customize the communication process to meet the needs of the intended receiver. Use active listening skills to help to ensure that effective communication is achieved:

• Language barrier: Provide an interpreter for patients that have minimal understanding of the language being spoken. Family members can be considered if the patient has agreed to allow them to be informed of their medical information. In such circumstances, avoid using medical terminology and always convey messages using lay terms.
• Physical impairments: can be assisted best by asking them how they would like to be assisted.
• Visual impairments: provide larger print documents when needed.
• Children: use terms that they can understand based on their developmental level. ​​​​​​​
• Cognitive impairment: use words and phrases at the appropriate level the patient can comprehend.
• Hearing loss: can be accomplished with appropriate language use, facing the patient, enunciating each word, and asking if they have any questions or concerns. When summarizing information for the patient, use a repetition of words from the explanation provided. Then, ask the patient to repeat the information back to assess their understanding of what was communicated.

Question 20

Psychosocial care

Answer 20

Providing psychological, social, and spiritual care through therapeutic communication with cultural sensitivity. When provided effectively, it improves patients’ overall health and quality of life.

Ex: motivational enhancement, relapse prevention, structured counseling, and psychotherapy.

Question 21

What is the importance of the words matching the actions?

Answer 21

Nonverbal communication should be used to support a message being given and should not contradict the intended message. Body language and nonverbal communication can be just as important as the words being spoken in avoiding miscommunication.

Question 22

What is the importance of effectively communicating with the health care team?

Answer 22

A good rapport built on trust and teamwork positively contributes toward ensuring great quality of care is provided to the patient by the health care team.

Question 23

What should be done to minimize stereotypes of bias in communication?

Answer 23

Gaining a greater understanding of the diversity of people helps to decrease stereotypes and biases and includes respect and professionalism in all communication with all people. Building a rapport and relationship with the patient will be conducive to creating a safe and comfortable atmosphere where they feel free to talk.

Question 24

What is a benefit of psychosocial care?

Answer 24

When provided effectively, it improves patients’ overall health and quality of life.

Question 25

Telephone Etiquette

Answer 25

Being respectful by using proper verbiage, tone, and manners when conveying information.

When communicating using the telephone, it is important to be succinct because nonverbal communication and body language are more challenging to interpret.
- Avoiding medical jargon and complex medical terms will help to ensure the patient is able to communicate and understand what is being said.
- Ensure your vocal pitch and tone are not monotone or too loud.
- Clearly enunciate.
- It can be helpful to smile while on the phone, as it helps to present and convey a positive disposition.
- Active listening is important when using telephone skills.
- Give undivided attention to the person on the other end of the phone and be respectful and professional at all times.

Question 26

Five Ps of Telephone Etiquette

Answer 26

1. Polite: Use a soft tone.
2. Prepared: Have all the relevant details (names, numbers, dates).
3. to the Point: Don’t beat around the bush.
4. Perceptive: Don’t waste people’s time by talking on irrelevant topics.
5. cooPerative: Provide the information needed. If you can’t help, find someone who can or tell the caller you will call back with the information.

Question 27

Email Etiquette

Answer 27

1. There are many advantages to using email, such as speed of receipt and simplicity of responding.
2. Always send emails using a secure email software program.
3. Professionalism is a requirement of writing emails to patients, medical providers, or third-party payers:
   - Check for spelling and grammar errors and do not include jargon or slang.
   - The message should be concise and to the point.
   - The email must include a subject line, salutation, and proper closing with contact information.
4. Proper etiquette includes using polite conversation and not writing using a conversational approach, such as that used when texting with a friend.
   - Do not abbreviate words, as this could lead to misinterpretation and miscommunication.
5. Documents such as reports or statements can be attached and should be referenced in the body of the email.

Question 28

Business Letter Formats

Answer 28

Letters can be created for many purposes, and templates are often used for creating them.

Proofreading is important to ensure the letter is free from errors and is grammatically correct.

Letters may be created to address a concern with a third-party payer, write a patient about their past-due balance, or request a consultation from another medical provider.

Letters include the date, address, salutation, body, and complimentary closing and are done on letterhead for the health care organization.

They are more formal in nature and usually mailed using the United States Postal Service (USPS) or another professional service.

Certified mail can be used to ensure the letter has been received by the intended party in circumstances where it is imperative that the information is received.

An example of this would be if a patient needs to be informed of concerning lab results and cannot be reached by phone or email or if a provider makes the decision to terminate a relationship with a patient.

Question 29

Templates

Answer 29

A sample of written correspondence or email that is established with appropriate components that will be personalized to fit the need of the sender.

Question 30

Letter Styles

Answer 30

• Full block format: All lines are flush with the left margin.
• Modified block format: The address and body are left justified, and the rest start at the center of the document.
• Modified block format with indented paragraphs: The address is left justified and, the rest start at the center of the document with indented paragraphs.
• Simplified format: The information is left justified, and it does not include a salutation or complimentary closing.

Question 31

What is an important aspect of communication in the virtual setting?

Answer 31

Virtual visits rely on the words spoken for effective communication.

Because nonverbal communication is not as apparent during virtual visits, it can be challenging to assess for understanding.

It is important to use words to ask for questions or concerns and to ask for information to be repeated back to assess comprehension.

Question 32

Health care preferred letter style

Answer 32

Full block format.

Question 33

Challenging conversations

Answer 33

Should be handled with extra care and compassion.

These types of situations require patience, active listening skills, and collaboration with the patient.

Question 34

Communication with other healthcare professionals

Answer 34

This communication must also be conducted in a professional and respectful manner.

Show respect for the knowledge and authority of medical providers when communicating with them.

It is essential to communicate openly and honestly. All members of the health care team should communicate with the common goal of quality patient medical care.

Medical professionals do not need to be best friends; however, they must be always friendly and professional regardless of the situation.

Question 35

Incident/Event/Unusual Occurrence Reports

Answer 35

“If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.” This common phrase reflects the importance and necessity of documentation.

All types of communication must be documented to ensure the event is on record. It must be detailed with the date, time, persons involved, and overview of the conversation including specific details. This practice protects the patient, as well as the health care professional.

Question 36

Challenging Customer Service Occurrences

Answer 36

Handle challenging customer service occurrences with professionalism and respect. It may be challenging to communicate with a person who is upset or frustrated.

• It is important to maintain composure. It is never appropriate to match any negative energy in response to the challenging situation.
• Refrain from becoming defensive and remember the goal is to provide quality health care services.
• Use “I” statement instead of “You” statements. For example, “I understand that it is difficult making healthy eating decisions,” instead of “It seems you have a hard time making healthy eating decisions.”

Building a good relationship based on trust and professionalism can help to enhance the patient-centered care experience.

Question 37

When to De-Escalate Problem Situations

Answer 37

Should be de-escalated as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming uncontrolled.

• Be patient and listen to their concerns.
• The communication process must be free from distractions and interruptions.
• The patient should feel heard and that their concern will be considered.
• Set healthy boundaries in the discussion, both physical and psychological.
• The assertive communication style should include a tactful and courteous response.
• Use active listening and respect, and engage in appropriate communication by responding to appropriate verbal and nonverbal cues from the patient.

*If the situation escalates and attempts at resolution have not helped in controlling the situation, it may be beneficial to include a supervisor or another additional person to help in the de-escalation process.

Question 38

Proactive measure in trying to minimize potential challenging communication experiences

Answer 38

Remove any potential barriers. Barriers can include language differences, lack of personal boundaries, cultural differences, judgements, and stereotypes.

Question 39

Conflict management

Answer 39

Managing a situation where differences occur and there appears to be no resolution that will be effective.

Effective communication can help to minimize the possibility of conflicts.

Question 40

Complaint Resolution

Answer 40

Methods of conflict resolution can include:
- allowing the other person to express concerns
- practicing active listening
- determining possible solutions or outcomes
- concluding that all vested members are satisfied
- Patient satisfaction surveys can be offered to see how happy patients are and what possible suggestions or concerns can be addressed.

At times, it isn’t about one side being right and the other side wrong; it can be respectfully coming to a conclusion that is satisfactory for all.

Question 41

Conflict Management and Complaint Resolution Example

Answer 41

A patient declines a blood pressure medication that the provider feels strongly about prescribing.
On the surface, the preferences of the patient and provider are mutually exclusive: either taking the medication or not.

After the MA discusses the situation with the patient and provider, it becomes clear that both agree that the patient’s blood pressure should be lower and that it should be managed in a way that is safest for the patient. They disagree on the best way to accomplish their shared goals.

Once there is a shared understanding and alignment, further conversation can include both parties sharing their individual views.

To resolve this concern, the provider agrees to pause the conversation around the potential prescription for 6 weeks, while the patient agrees to meet with the MA for health coaching around diet and exercise to lower blood pressure and monitor their blood pressure every day. ​​​​​​​

They agree to revisit the conversation in 6 weeks to discuss how impactful the diet and exercise have been. This also provides time for reviewing the risks and benefits of the medication if the provider still feels it is needed.

Question 42

How can an MA build a relationship with a patient based on trust and respect?

Answer 42

Exhibit a professional manner with a positive attitude of encouragement and support. These behaviors will help to build a relationship based on trust and respect.