Bedside Manner Blog

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS – THE HANDOUTS Written handouts are a simple way to communicate more effectively with your patients, and they require no personality or social skills on your part, as do oral communications. Besides enhancing your bedside manner by utilizing good communication skills, written handouts, diagrams used in explaining procedures, and signed consent forms will help keep you out of the courtroom. Most plaintiffs’ attorneys won’t take a case when they see great documentation and the damages are not significant. Even if you end up in court, it is very ...

As one of the pillars of bedside manner, the benefit of communication cannot be overemphasized. Not only will your patients benefit by being more compliant when they understand instructions, but you will prevent many costly, stressful, time-consuming lawsuits. Two areas of professional practice require strong communications skills: treatment plans (including description of treatment, other options, expected outcome, and postoperative sequelae), and financial considerations. COMMUNICATING THE TREATMENT PLAN When a patient understands their treatment plan, they have more realistic ...