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Communication

Simple Tips for Efficient and Effective Physician/Patient Communication

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Everyone is pressed for time in healthcare and effective communication has always been a top priority. Effective communication does not necessarily need to take more time to implement though.

As we learn on today’s podcast episode with Dr. George Mayzell, often it’s a matter of rephrasing things.

“We know folks are time pressured. We’re not trying to necessarily extend these conversations, we are trying to make it more efficient,” he told us.

Today’s podcast episode comes with a companion infographic with many suggestions for better using language when providing care and comfort to patients. We hope you will find it useful to read before or after listening to today’s episode with Dr. Mayzell. You can access it here: https://bit.ly/3v3iq8C

Did you know? Effective physician-patient communication has been shown to positively influence health outcomes by increasing patient satisfaction, leading to greater patient understanding of health problems and treatments available, contributing to better adherence to treatment plans, and providing support and reassurance to patients.

For an effective communication example, Dr. Mayzell warns against interrupting the patient or speaking when they are trying to say something. He instead advises to:

  • Demonstrate active listening.
  • Listen to understand.
  • Try not to plan your answer while you are listening.
  • Let the patient talk.

Active listening can be a challenge as the average doctor interrupts the patient in 11 seconds, Dr. Mayzell told us.

“If a patient feels like you’ve heard them, you are going to get much better information. Ultimately it’s going to be a much better experience for you and the patient,” he said.

Watch This Podcast

You can watch today’s podcast interview with Dr. Mayzell here:

The Effective Physician/Patient Communication Infographic

Dr. Mayzell drew upon his decades experience as physician, chief medical officer and coach to create this resource. It includes common phrases to avoid while providing suggestions to better facilitate patient interactions. See the full infographic here.

We encourage you to download this infographic from our website and share it with your colleagues. Need help with physician patient communication? Please contact Brooke Billingsley at HXF for a diagnostic coaching call: Brooke@healthcareexperience.org.

About Dr. Mayzell

Dr. Mayzell is a board-certified internist, geriatrician, and a physician coach and speaker with the Healthcare Experience Foundation (HXF). He is a leading voice in the ongoing battle to prevent burnout in medicine.

Dr. Mayzell has co-authored several books including, Leveraging Lean in Healthcare and Physician Alignment and The Resilient Healthcare Organization: How to Reduce Physician and Healthcare Worker Burnout.

Dr. Mayzell has previously joined our podcast for two other episodes. You can find them here:

More Podcasts

Be on the lookout for a new podcast episode coming to you soon. The latest five podcasts of our show are also available here:

You can subscribe to our podcast for free on all major podcast platforms, and for video of our interviews, you can always check out the Healthcare Experience Foundation (HXF) on YouTube. Catch up on all episodes of our podcast by subscribing and following us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music and more.

Healthcare Experience Matters covers topics like combatting physician burnout, mindfulness, empathy, compassion fatigue and much more. We publish a new podcast every Thursday morning so please stay tuned for more shows!

Posted in:
Communication, PRC

More HX Matters Podcasts

Our podcast is dedicated to transforming the health care experience so that every person can receive and deliver the best care.

You can subscribe to our podcast for free on all major podcast platforms and for video of our interviews, you can always check out the Healthcare Experience Foundation (HXF) on YouTube. Catch up on all episodes of our podcast by subscribing and following us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music and more.

Meet George Mayzell, MD, MBA

Dr. Mayzell has a passion for helping healthcare leaders, staff and physicians restore purpose and joy to their work. At the Healthcare Experience Foundation, Dr. Mayzell is working to innovate physician leadership development, build resilient and engaged physicians and providers, strengthen relationships between administration and medical staff, and develop patient-centered competencies.

As a physician, chief medical officer, senior leader, and now coach, Dr. Mayzell draws upon his extensive experience to help organizations create meaningful improvements that matter.

Before joining the Healthcare Experience Foundation team, Dr. Mayzell served in a variety of notable capacities over the years. He is the founder and president of Empowered Healthcare, the past Chief Clinical Officer for Vizient Southeast, has served as the SVP/CMO and Chief Clinical Integration Officer for AMITA Health in Chicago, has served as CEO of Health Choice (a PHO and CIN), as well as a SVP of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis.

In addition to more than 10 years of practice experience, Dr. Mayzell has dedicated more than 10 years of his life working in senior leadership positions for the University of Florida and Shands Hospital, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida. He has held positions on the c-suite, as medical director and has worked through complexities such as care management redesign, clinical variation, clinical integration and physician leadership.

Dr. Mayzell has co-authored several books including “Leveraging Lean in Healthcare” and “Physician Alignment, as well as “Population Health”.

Dr. Mayzell is a board certified internist and geriatrician, having received his medical degree from The Rutgers News Jersey Medical School, and his MBA from Jacksonville University.

While Dr. Mayzell finds his role in administration and leadership fulfilling, he believes that there’s no greater fulfillment than helping health systems and physicians achieve their full potential.

Connect with George Mayzell, MD, MBA
More episodes with George Mayzell, MD, MBA

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