What Does Communication Impact?
Improving staff and provider communication and strengthening compassion with patients, families and coworkers is no longer a “nice-to-have.” The growing research over the years has shown communication and compassion are not only important but essential to a thriving healthcare organization.
Impact of Communication:
- Organizations with high priority on compassionate care see lower staff turnover, higher retention, and recruitment of more highly qualified staff. Schwartz Center, Building Compassion into the Bottom Line, 2015
- 88% of patients say they will switch providers if dissatisfied with communication.
- Communication quality has critical impact on providing safe care. Leonard, The human factor; Qual Saf Health Care, 2004
- Hospitals with high PX scores have higher profitability. Value of PX, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions; 2017
- Communication heals. Clinician–patient communication impacts health outcomes. Street et al., Pt Ed and Counseling, 2009
- Empathy lowers patients’ anxiety and distress and delivers significantly better clinical outcomes. Derksen et al., Br J Gen Pract, 2013
- Communication is factor most strongly associated with potential preventable readmissions. Auerbach et al., JAMA Int Med, 2016
- “Communication is regarded as key to any significant improvements in health care quality — patient-centered care is included alongside the core quality requisites of safety, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency and equity.” IOM Report, Crossing the Quality Chasm; Institute of Medicine; 2001
- 19% higher risk of nonadherence among patients whose physician communicates poorly. Zolnierek K and DiMatteo. Medical Care 2009; 47(8):826-834.
- The odds of patient adherence are 1.62 times higher in physicians who receive training in advanced communication skills. Zolnierek K and DiMatteo. Medical Care 2009; 47(8):826-834.
- Physicians who applied an interactive communication strategy had an odds ratio of 15.15 for better glycemic control in diabetic patients with Low Health Literacy. Schillinger D, et al. Closing the Loop. Arch IM 2003; 163:83-90.
