This is an audio guide about patient and doctor communication brought to you by CreakyJoints Australia.

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TRANSCRIPT

This is an audio guide about Patient and Doctor Communication, brought to you by Global Healthy Australia.

Whilst many patients have had positive experiences working with their health team, there are still many of you who are unsatisfied with the quality of treatment and are frustrated by the ineffective communication experienced when approaching your GPs/ specialists...Here we would like to offer our top tips so Doctors and Patients can “Get on The Same Page”

PATIENTS 

• Get your needs met, ask, ask and ask some more! 

• This is about YOU, Doctors are here for you.
• Be realistic - You won’t always get all the answers from a doctor, so seek advice so you know where to go next! 
• This process is empowering in itself, there may be setbacks along the way but keep up a proactive mentality/approach and you will land in the right place/direction 
• Get your needs met - if you are unsatisfied with your doctor, you are 100% entitled to ask your records to be transferred to a new one! It’s common practise and they won’t take it personally. 

• Helpful ways to keep up effective communication and manage any hesitancy around discussion

• If you feel nervous or have a particularly sensitive issue, bring a friend, a support person, social worker or someone you feel comfortable with to generate a feeling of safety and security when verbalising your issue.
• If helpful, Jot down some points before hand so you have a reference point that will keep your discussion on the right track in case you get confused/lost/shy etc. Remember, you are not the first one who has come with the issue you have! 

• Be accountable with record keeping 

• Doctors need as much information as possible, the more you have the better you are treated. 

• If you struggle with this make sure to stay as prepared and organised as possible. This is your best chance at getting the treatment and support you need! Be accountable.
  
  

  DOCTORS 

  It is essential that doctors have a proper understanding of their patients. 

  Whilst this may seem obvious, this is not to minimise the health care communities efforts, it’s to address the feedback that there are some barriers that need to be addressed. 

  Quality Communication 

  Get clear on your patients value systems: Sometimes patients have a hard time verbalising their needs... 

  • Gain a clear understanding of the patient as a person, ask direct questions that get YOU clear on their needs.
  • What do they like to do with their time? 
  • What kind of lifestyle do they seek? 
  • What is getting in the way of your wants/needs/desires?
  • Pre appointment surveys may be helpful to identify your patients concerns and needs
  • Holistic Understanding: The condition goes beyond physical aspects, affecting emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual aspects of life.
  • Be conscious that there are topics patients struggle to discuss, so you may need to help encourage them on this, remind them its a safe, non-judgemental space. 
  • Broaden your list of resources/ information to offer up. You are a Hub of information for them. 
  • Every patient responds differently to therapy. Be well-versed/updated on the latest news/stats and new developments within Arthritis care. Broaden your pool of resources to suggest to your patients.
  • Get yourself acquainted with key players in the field, help to navigate getting across everything! You’ll be more prepared. 
  • Rosemary: “For sufferers, information is power. It’s one of the ways we cope with the condition”. 
  • People respond differently, be conscious of their personality types when making non-medical based suggestions. 
  • Always be meticulous with record keeping, patient history and handover to specialists 
  • “Something huge I think is missing is an automatic referral for anyone diagnosed with a chronic pain condition to get access to mental healthcare”
  •  Desire for A common platform to keep all records on like the “My Health Record” app. 
  • “I was prescribed a medication that led to hair loss. Things like this can and do have self-image implications! I learnt years later from another specialist that I did not need to take that medication after all!”
  • Always be meticulous and thorough with notes on your patients and collecting relevant information - make sure you share this knowledge promptly and accurately to all members of your patients medical/health/lifestyle team/ support network.
  • Managing complex issues/ chronic illness especially in Hospital settings
  • A known setting where information can be easily lost/miscommunicated. 
  • Take extra care here, having a Complex Disease Coordinator in clinical settings could help keep communication efficient and streamline.

• Acknowledgement: This is tough and yes there are ups and downs. 
• Remember this condition does not own you, you have a right to feel empowered in your life choices and you can still pursue your life goals - Life as much a “normal” life as possible