Essay On The Importance Of Communication In Healthcare

The Role and Importance of Communication in Healthcare Like any other working professionals, communication plays a vital role in the day-to-day activity of a doctor. Dr. Irene Chua, 43, a pediatrician in one of the local clinics in Corpus Christi, Texas explains, “communication is vital in any workplace”. I chose Irene as an interviewee simply because I believe that communication in healthcare is highly significant as compared to other professions in our society. I was fortunate enough to interview the good doctor in such short notice despite her busy schedule – taking care of three children and working in a clinic. She decided it would best to conduct the interview at her place of residence so as not to be distracted with all the commotion in her office. To make her feel relaxed during the interview, I started off with a simple introduction question,

“I’m conducting this interview as part of our speech class on the role and

She nods and gazes at the table for a moment before uttering a response. She reiterates that obtaining an accurate information is always critical. She acknowledges the fact that in some cases, family or the patient themselves may hold out on certain information. Therefore, establishing a level of trust between her, the patient and their family is also a priority to arrive at a correct diagnosis.

She also mentions one aspect which could affect communication is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA regulates and restrains healthcare workers from sharing patient’s medical information. At the same, she also admits some challenges with some patients and their family who are unable to speak the English language fluently and express their illness properly. Furthermore, she added, the likelihood of miscommunication between her and the clinic staff is