e-Communication in Health Care Setting

Communication is a crucial component in all steps of the health care process. Whether it be a clinic
accurately sharing patient information with another facility, or a group of doctors, nurses, specialists, and
other staff at a hospital discussing how to treat current and incoming patients, the need for concise,
effective communication is always present in the health field.

Organizations with strong communication policies can enrich their patients’ health, while those that don’t
have effective procedures in place can negatively impact patient well-being. Health care professionals and
institutions need to recognize the importance of communication in health care in order to thrive.

Two types of communication methods in health care setting

1. Interhospital

A communications involve information sharing among multiple sites or institutions. This includes
transmissions between facilities owned by the same organization and between completely separate health
care entities. Moving patients from one facility to another, sending medical records, and transporting vital
medical equipment all require clear communication between sites.

2. Intrahospital

A communication is any information sharing within a singular institution — whether it involves

coordinating room changes, scheduling surgeries, assigning further tests, or even setting up appointments.
When doctors, staff, and patients are not effectively sharing information, the efficiency of each process may
decrease, potentially resulting in unnecessary costs or even danger to patients. Patient record delays, lack
of procedural coordination, and even serious medical errors may all be consequences of poor intrahospital
communication.

The Different Communication Methods in Healthcare

According to Health Tech Magazine, cloud communication platforms in the healthcare field are increasingly
used to provide doctors, nurses, diagnostic technicians, and other medical personnel with the tools they
need to improve efficiency and quality in healthcare delivery.
Cloud computing and collaboration apps are likewise capitalizing on the proliferation of mobile devices in
the workforce to improve patient outcomes and overall efficiency.

1. Platform-Agnostic Email, Chat/IM, and Messaging: This provides a way for medical providers
and administrators to communicate immediately with one another across a variety of devices. It also allows
them to notify patients of appointments while addressing questions and concerns at any time and from any
location.

2. Voice, Video, and Web Meetings/Conferencing: This encourages interaction and problem
solving among providers, specialists, and experts in the field, allowing for more collaborative care.

3. Virtual Appointment Apps: This allows providers to meet online with patients or their families
and to take advantage of “virtual appointments,” which many insurance companies offer as a way to
diagnose and treat common conditions or to prescribe medications.

4. Online Patient Databases: Cloud-based databases offer a safe, compliant way for doctors,
medical staff, and health administrators to coordinate care through immediate access to patient health
histories and charts.

5. Online Patient Portals: Patients benefit by having a secure online portal to access medical
records and to obtain lab or diagnostic testing results, rather than having to wait anxiously by the phone.

10 types of communication patients want about their health care

The larger categories involve A. prevention, B. disease management and C. billing transparency.

A. Prevention messaging

Under the prevention category, the types of communication patients requested were:

1. Lab test updates. Waiting for lab results can be a stressful experience for many patients, and
77% of those surveyed want providers to help them track their results. Make it clear how and when patients
will be able to pick up their results. If there are any delays, be sure to let patients know about what’s
causing them. In addition, with lab results that may be sensitive or require additional explanation, it’s
important to talk to patients about them in person when possible.

2. Preventive service recommendations. Patients are busy, so they don’t always track when
they need certain preventive visits. Sending automated messages that remind patients to schedule these
appointments means providers and staff don’t need to track anyone down.

3. Text messaging. Younger patients don’t want to talk to their providers on the phone – they’d
much rather receive a text or message via patient portal. Plus, texting is often easier for staffers, since it
takes less time than a phone call.
 4. Health management advice. Reminders for activities patients can do at home to stay healthy
are appreciated, such as nutrition tips or easy exercises. But 21% of patients don’t get these messages
from providers. Simple texts can go a long way for those patients, and these messages have the added
benefits of keeping patients healthier and lowering hospital readmissions.

B. Disease management

When it comes to disease management, patients want:

5. Personalized recommendations. Disease-specific communication helps patients feel valued

and connected to their providers, which makes them more likely to follow their advice.

6. Health goal info. Everyone wants to know what they should be working toward with their vital
signs. Example: Knowing what blood pressure levels to aim for allows them to work toward that goal and
feel more in control of their bodies.

7. Medication reminders. Medication adherence is a major problem for many hospitals.

Reminding patients when to take their meds with a text is an easy way to improve adherence.

8. Monitoring surveys. Patients want to feel like their providers are doing everything they can to
help them, so check in with them by sending surveys about their health and experience. These surveys can
help providers pick up on any changes with a patient’s condition or improvements they need to make.

C. Billing transparency

Being up front about costs is essential for patients who are paying for more of their health care.
Here’s what patients want with billing transparency:

9. Clarity on patient responsibility. Unexpected costs are a major concern for patients, so make
sure they know what they’ll need to pay and when it’s due.

10. Bills that are easy to understand and pay. Let patients know what they owe before they
receive their bills, and you’ll likely increase timely payments. Accepting various forms of payment can also
help improve the chances patients will pay their bills.

5 dos and don'ts of digital communication in healthcare

1. Encrypt your phones and mobile devices.

The mobile phone market is consumer driven, and devices that are designed for consumers are being used
as professional tools; however, they do not have the same security protocols that health information
technology is mandated. These devices frequently operate on unsecured networks and transmit a variety of
data to manufacturers, app creators, and third parties for a variety of purposes. Hospitals have notoriously
poor cybersecurity, which certainly doesn’t help matters. Since 2005, around 38 percent of disclosures
have included lost or stolen devices, accounting for 78 percent of all reported breaches, according to a
2014 survey by Forrester Research Inc. reported in the Wall Street Journal.
Moreover, the mobile devices themselves are not always encrypted by users, so when these devices are
lost or stolen, the information they contain is put at greater risk for leakage. If email, mobile devices and
networks are not secure, then communications are at risk.

2. Consider whether email is an appropriate channel of communication.

Before distributing any message, it is important to consider one’s audience and purpose of communication.
Is this a casual communication, an electronic consultation with a patient, or an electronic “curbside”
consultation with a colleague? The purpose of communication and content of the message to be delivered
should be considered when deciding on the appropriate channel of delivery. For example, if it is a sensitive
or complex issue, then perhaps face-to-face dialogue would be more appropriate.

For similar reasons, it is good practice for providers to maintain and use separate email accounts for
professional and personal communications. In their 2011 paper “Professionalism in the Digital Age,”
Mostaghimi and Crotty recommend a “dual-citizenship” approach that separates professional and private
personae. This proactive approach allows clinicians to leverage the benefits of this method of
communication while managing their professional responsibilities.

3. Mind the (health literacy) gap.

By some estimates, health illiteracy is at epidemic proportions. Somewhere between the lack of access to
technology and poor accessibility of health information provided to the public, there exists a digital divide.

Communicating information is not enough; patients require education to make it meaningful to their health.
Providers must be mindful of the platforms they use as well as the manner and quality of the information
they intend to in disseminate. For electronic communication technologies to achieve their potential of
enabling or improving health and healthcare, patients must be able to access, understand, and synthesize
information to make it relevant to their lives and health states.

4. If you encourage use, then explain the risks.

Receiving informed consent is (or should be) standard practice in clinical settings. This means that prior to
delivering a healthcare intervention to a patient, healthcare providers should explain and make sure the
patient understands the facts, benefits and risks associated with that intervention. While encouraging
patients to use the Internet to garner more information may not rise to the level of requiring consent, an
explanation of the risks and benefits is advised when providers encourage that use. According to a recent
study published in Communications of the ACM, those seeking information online may be putting their
privacy at risk; when users search for information, they may unwittingly share information with third parties
that use behavioral tracking for business, marketing or nefarious purposes.

Use of email is a different story; providers should receive informed consent before sharing protected health
information with patients through this medium. It is inappropriate for healthcare providers to use free email
services, such as Gmail, that collect user information and share it with third parties. However, even if
secured email is used on the provider side, a patient’s information may still be at risk if patients are using
free email services. Digital communication can provide benefits for patients, including improved access to
provider expertise and portability of health information. The risks, however, cannot be discounted:
technology and security protocols can fail, health information may be leaked to third parties, and
information may become fragmented as it is dispersed through a variety of mediums. The potential benefits
and burdens need to be relayed so that patients can knowingly assent to them.

5. Seek guidance.

Professional associations may be of assistance to providers navigating these waters to safe harbors. For
example, the American Medical Association offers guidance on the use of email in which physicians are
advised to 1) refrain from starting a physician-patient relationship by email, 2) maintain the same ethical
responsibilities when communicating through this medium and 3) inform patients about the risks and
limitations of email before communicating that way. While the AMA’s opinion appears to be focused on
limiting physician exposure to liability, it serves as a starting point for the dialogue that needs to occur
between doctor and patient.

References

Different communication in health care setting - https://www.8x8.com/voip-solutions/healthcare/types-of-healthcare-

communication

10 types of communication patients want about their health care http://www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/types-of-

communication-patients/

5 dos and don'ts of digital communication in healthcare-https://www.elsevier.com/connect/5-dos-and-donts-of-digital-

communication-in-healthcare

Impact of Information Technology in radiology Services - https://www.slideshare.net/eransch/the-impact-of-

information-technology-on-radiology-services