About 25 percent of patients do not follow their physicians' advice, and one-fourth of these patients say it's because the advice was too difficult to follow, according to a study cited by Emily Aaronson, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, during her presentation at the 2017 AMA Annual Meeting held in Chicago June 10-14.
Dr. Aaronson said the lack of adherence to medical advice among patients is largely attributable to poor patient-physician communication, according to AMA Wire.
"We interrupt our patients all the time. We often behave in ways that communicate to our patients that what they're saying is not important," said Dr. Aaronson. "Patients will then fail to provide us with key pieces of information that could actually help us fit the diagnostic puzzle together."
Here are five tactics for more effective patient-physician communication from Dr. Aaronson.
1. Tell the patient your name and explain your role in his or her care. Make sure to sit and maintain eye contact.
2. Encourage the patient to collaborate in his or her care.
3. Acknowledge the patient's emotions and his or her specific situation.
4. Allow and invite the patient to speak.
5. Communicate the goals of the care plan.
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