The ability to recognize human behaviors and the ability to communicate effectively are vital to a medical assistant and the pursuit for success. This chapter has taken a psychological approach to understanding human behavior and the challenges that influence therapeutic communication in a health-care setting. Patients will often have more interaction with the medical assistant than with any other health-care practitioner in the facility. It is important that patients develop a good rapport and feel confident in the care they are receiving from your office. The medical assistant sets the tone for the communication cycle and must be aware of all the obstacles that can affect human communication. As a medical assistant, you are often exposed to all kinds of patients. You will see patients from different cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, educational levels, ages, and lifestyles. You must be able to communicate with each patient with professionalism and diplomacy.

Outline

• Communicating With Patients and Families
• The Communication Circle
• Understanding Human Behavior and How It Relates to the Provider-Patient Relationship
• Types of Communication
• Improving Your Communication Skills
• Communicating in Special Circumstances
• Communicating With Coworkers
• Written Communication Tools and Community Resources
• Managing Stress
• Preventing Burnout

Learning Outcomes

After completing Chapter 4, you will be able to:

 4.1 Identify elements of the communication circle.
 4.2 Understand and define the developmental stages of the life cycle.
 4.3 Give examples of positive and negative communication.
 4.4 List ways to improve listening and interpersonal skills.
 4.5 Explain the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness.
 4.6 Give examples of effective communication strategies with patients in special circumstances.
 4.7 Discuss ways to establish positive communication with coworkers and management.
 4.8 Describe how the office policy and procedures manual is used as a communication tool in the medical office.
 4.9 Describe community resources and how they enhance the services provided by your office.
 4.10 Explain how stress relates to communication and identify strategies to reduce stress.

Summary

The ability to recognize human behaviors and the ability to communicate effectively are vital to a medical assistant and the pursuit for success. This chapter has taken a psychological approach to understanding human behavior n and the challenges that influence therapeutic communication in a health-care setting. Patients will often have amore interaction with the medical assistant than with any other health-care practitioner in the facility. It is important that patients develop a good rapport and feel confident in the care they are receiving from your office. The medical assistant sets the tone for the communication cycle and must be aware of all the obstacles that can affect human communication. As a medical assistant, you are often exposed to all kinds of patients. You will see patients from different cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, educational levels, ages, and lifestyles. You must be able to communicate with each patient with professionalism and diplomacy.