Public speaking is a skill that is often overlooked in the medical field, despite its critical importance in healthcare professionals’ effective performance. Adequate communication, especially public speaking, can greatly influence a doctor’s interaction with others, particularly patients and their families, and even affect the patient’s recovery process.
Currently, few medical schools offer courses centered around communication, and this is a concern as the nature of the interaction between doctors and patients often underscores the importance of empathetic and clear communication. Effective public speaking is also essential when conducting presentations and medical lectures for a less informed audience.
It is important to note, when communicating with patients and their families, the healthcare provider should remember that the person they are interacting with is in a vulnerable state, both emotionally and physically. The following tips can help improve communication:
1. Use accessible language – The medical field is filled with jargon and technical terms, therefore it’s important to use non-technical, clear, and direct language when interacting with patients and their families to ensure their understanding of their health condition and treatment.
2. Be friendly – Despite the high-stress nature of the medical profession, remaining friendly and polite from greeting to farewell can create a comfortable atmosphere for the patient which encourages them to express their symptoms more honestly.
3. Be careful when delivering unfavourable news – As a healthcare provider, you may need to share bad news with a patient or family. These situations should be handled with care and respect, showing empathy for the patient’s situation.
When delivering presentations or medical lectures, the speaker should be aware of their audience’s level of understanding and try to limit technical language. It’s advised to maintain engagement through the use of an interesting and accessible presentation style, particularly in the opening 15 minutes.
How you present your body language and modulate your voice is also important in ensuring effective communication. Good posture and appropriate volume, pitch and rhythm of speech can have significant impacts on the audience’s understanding and response.
The expressions utilized during the presentation should align with the message being delivered. Cooperating these strategies can positively influence the impact of the healthcare provider’s communication, leading to better patient outcomes, improved understanding of medical information by the general public, and ultimately a more empathetic healthcare environment.
In a nutshell, dynamic and effective public speaking is a crucial tool for medical practitioners in enhancing their performance and improving patient interaction and understanding.
