Practise verbal and non-verbal practitioner communication, clothing preferences and interview design, explaining how each feature affects understanding and satisfaction.
A professor wants to improve doctors' verbal communication with patients.
Suggest one way to improve the doctors' verbal communication with patients.
A professor wants to improve doctors' verbal communication with patients.
Suggest one way to improve the doctors' verbal communication with patients.
For the suggestion:
Award 2 marks for an outline of the way to ensure effective verbal communication.
Award 1 mark for a basic outline/identification of the way to ensure effective verbal communication.
Syllabus content:
- verbal communications with a focus on understanding medical terminology (e.g. McKinlay, 1975)
- doctor-centred (directed) and patient-centred (sharing) consultation (Key study - Savage and Armstrong, 1990)
Example:
One way would be to train the doctors to give details of both their diagnosis and treatment to their patients at the clinic.
(1) Any terminology that is used must be clearly explained in terms that the patient will understand for both the diagnosis and treatment. (1)
The doctors should adopt a doctor-centred (directed) style of consultation. (1) This is where the doctor takes an authoritarian approach and tells the patient what their diagnosis is and outlines the treatment that they should follow. (1)
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
2
Explain why your suggestion in part (a) would be better for these patients.
Explain why your suggestion in part (a) would be better for these patients.
Award 2 marks for explanation of why suggestion would be better for patients.
Award 1 mark for a basic outline of explanation of why suggestion would be better for patients
For example:
Using simple language without medical terminology means that the patients will understand the diagnosis/treatment. (1) Therefore, when the patient uses the treatment at home they will know how to carry it out correctly (e.g. how to use medical equipment such as an inhaler). (1)
The findings of Savage and Armstrong show that patients prefer a doctor-centred (directing) style of consultation. (1) Patients reported they felt the doctor understood their problem and the quality of the explanation given were better in the doctor-centre style compared to the sharing style of consultation. (1)
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
2
Outline why it would be better for patients. (e.g. understand what the doctor is saying, feel the doctor is professional) =1 mark
Effect of this on the patient (e.g. less anxious/embarrassed, can carry out treatment correctly ) linked to the suggestion = 1 mark