Bridging the Gaps in Healthcare Communication With MEFTiiCOMM
Effective communication is important for businesses in any industry, but it is especially critical for healthcare providers. Lack of clear communication within the healthcare industry can lead to inefficiencies and gaps that impact patient care, outcomes, and the overall costs they incur.
These can lead to small hiccups in treatment at best and disastrous consequences at worst.
The healthcare sector has certain gaps that must be closed in order to ensure the smooth functioning of all facilities. After all, every patient deserves the best possible care they can receive.
Thankfully, these can be bridged with the right tools. This article breaks down the existing communication gaps within the industry, their effects on patient care, and how MEFTii Communication is the perfect comprehensive solution for them.
What Communication Inefficiencies Do Healthcare Providers Face?
Healthcare providers face many challenging situations throughout the course of their work. Lack of effective communication is one issue that has a domino effect on every element of their operations.
Various communication gaps can occur due to several factors that hinder the efficient and accurate exchange of information. Some issues that arise throughout the different stages of healthcare delivery, including the referral, handover, and discharge processes, include:
Language Barriers
The language spoken by healthcare professionals may not match that of the patients they face. This can lead to miscommunications and misunderstandings, which has a tremendous impact on patient care
These can lead to small hiccups in treatment at best and disastrous consequences at worst.
Subpar Communication Channels
Healthcare providers may not have access to all the information required to provide quality care to their patients. This impacts their ability to correctly diagnose and treat illnesses, adversely impacting the patient’s health.
Misinterpretation of Medical Terminology
Complex medical terminology is difficult to understand, and healthcare professionals often use jargon when communicating. Those unfamiliar with certain terms may misinterpret such wording, leading to confusion among providers and patients.
Lack of Standardization
A lack of clear guidelines and protocols for communication can lead to discrepancies in sharing information. Without a standardized system, it can be difficult for healthcare professionals to treat patients
Limited Time for Consultations
Healthcare professionals have several consultations lined up each day. Because of the sheer workload, they may be unable to thoroughly discuss all the elements of a patient’s condition or treatment plan in a single sitting.
As such, physicians often rely solely on the patient’s medical file for all the details pertaining to the patient’s ailments. But if the file is not maintained and updated correctly, it can lead to mistakes in diagnosis and treatments.
Insufficient Communication Skills
Interpersonal communication is an important foundation of effective medical treatment. Communications training is needed to ensure that healthcare professionals are on the same page.
Unfortunately, this is not always done. Physicians, technicians, and administrative staff may lack the skills to impart information accurately and efficiently to their colleagues and patients.
These communication gaps can individually or collectively contribute to misunderstandings and miscommunications within a healthcare facility. They significantly affect patients' quality of care and may even impact the overall outcomes.
How Do Communication Gaps Impact Patients?
Communication gaps can have severe consequences for patients. Seemingly simple issues can lead to misdiagnosis, inappropriate or delayed treatments, and worsening conditions.
This can cause tremendous stress and confusion for the healthcare professionals in charge of the patient. It could also lead to prolonged suffering or, in severe cases, be fatal. The healthcare facility may be held liable for this, which can be debilitating for the organization.
Here are some ways communication gaps impact patients
Delayed Diagnosis and Treatment
If communication between healthcare professionals breaks down, a patient’s illness may not be diagnosed promptly or correctly. This may lead to errors and delays in treatment, which can worsen their condition.
Increased Healthcare Costs
If a patient’s condition worsens because of errors in treatment, they may require more medication, more intensive treatments, or prolonged hospital stays. This will drive healthcare costs up significantly
Prevalent Medication Errors
Medication errors are more likely to occur if communication isn’t clear among healthcare professionals. Patients may be prescribed the wrong dosage or medication, leading to drug interactions or adverse reactions that may be fatal
Reduced Quality of Care
Lack of communication can also result in poor quality of care. This means treatment failure, disease progression, or other adverse reactions. This may be dangerous or harmful if the patient requires meticulous care.
MEFTii Communication Is a Comprehensive Communication Solution
MEFTii Communication is a HIPAA-compliant, encrypted, and secure solution that meets all healthcare professionals’ needs. It offers the following features to enable clear, effective, and seamless communication Text messages - individually or in groups, with capabilities for file attachments (photo, audio, video, location, and voice messages) Audio and video calling - to share live EKGs, imaging studies, lab results, on an individual or peer group basis, with communications from home, office, and healthcare facilities Advance search - to initiate pager, audio, or video calls with peers, even across organizations; with details such as organization, name, city, and state Pager - with pre-customized messages within the same organization or across different facilities with a unique paging sound to reduce secretarial load and cost. Scheduling - on-call schedule providers, services, and administrators to maintain a personal and departmental schedule that eliminates the need for a separate scheduling software With these features and more, MEFTii Communication is a platform that facilitates smooth, seamless, clear, and effective communication among healthcare providers. It reduces the risk and impact of mistakes and misinterpretations caused by gaps in communication.
Various communication gaps can occur due to several factors that hinder the efficient and accurate exchange of information. Some issues that arise throughout the different stages of healthcare delivery, including the referral, handover, and discharge processes, include:
