Patient diversity defies doctor communication skills

In focus groups performed by Ohio’s SummaSumma Health System’s Diversity Advisory Council, the council found communication and differences in cultural values to be a key factor in the disconnect between health care workers and some patients.

In focus groups, Asians said the want doctors and nurses to speak more slowly and clearly, and to ”explain things until I understand.” Eastern Europeans saw a need for interpreters. Muslims said they felt rushed at doctors’ appointments. African-Americans wanted more easy-to-understand medical information. Only Hispanics said that doctors routinely go out of their way to communicate with patients, despite language barriers.

Nevertheless, 90 percent of those surveyed said the had all the training they needed to communicate with patients of different cultures.

Doctor-patient disconnect? [Via Akron Beacon Journal]

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