Patient‐Centered Communication

Jäger, Simone; Street, Richard L. und Rossmann, Constanze (2023): Patient‐Centered Communication. In: Ho, Evelyn Y.; Bylund, Carma L. und Van Weert, Julia C. M. (eds.) : The International Encyclopedia of Health Communication. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell. pp. 1-7

Abstract

Patient-centered communication (PCC) accomplishes the goals of patient-centered care – helping patients understand health status and treatment options; bringing the patient's perspective into the encounters; getting to know the patient as a person in their everyday context; involving patients in decision making; and making decisions based on the evidence, consistent with patient values, and feasible to implement. Key communicative tasks include effective information exchange, fostering healing relationships, making quality decisions, managing uncertainty, responding to emotions, and enabling patient self-management of health and well-being. Research on and practical implications of PCC are mainly focused on clinician–patient interaction and communication, representing the heart of the medical consultation. PCC refers to various aspects of communication, including communication skills consisting of a certain verbal (i.e., empathic statements) and nonverbal behavior (i.e., tone of voice) of both clinicians and patients. The term conveys patient-oriented communication goals, patient-reported outcomes, and a partner-like clinician–patient relationship. It is related to the interaction elements of patient involvement and shared decision making. PCC is a multifaceted term with a broad ontological nature, and thus has different dimensions, both in the literature and in medical practice. There are process-related (task-oriented) and functional (goal- and outcome-oriented) elements of medical encounters, diverse domains (individual vs. interaction) and associated perspectives (clinician, patient, relationship, and healthcare system). PCC methods and measures are quite diverse and have been assessed widely across different healthcare systems, medical settings, disease contexts, languages, and cultures. PCC is relevant both in offline face-to-face interactions and in digital and online communication, which has become increasingly important.

• Item Type: Encyclopedia article
• Faculties: Social Sciences > Department of Communications and Media (IfKW)
• Subjects: 300 Social sciences > 300 Social sciences, sociology and anthropology
• ISBN: 9781119678816
• Place of Publication: Hoboken
• Language: English