…how to be sure you’re really communicating with your hearing impaired patients
Do you know whether or not your patients hear everything you say? As a physician, the information you pass along to your patients is very important. But are they reporting that they’re not hearing what you’re telling them?
Let me clarify, I’m not saying that they don’t understand what you are saying, but rather that they might not hear what you are saying. It’s important for physicians to understand Effective Communication Strategies when working with their patients, especially their hearing impaired ones.
Here are some simple strategies:
Face your patient directly. Make sure you are on the same level and in good light whenever possible. Position yourself so that the light is shining on your face, not in the eyes of the listener.
Don’t talk from another room. Your patients will hear and understand you better when they have an opportunity to see you face-to-face. Some hearing impaired persons rely on lip reading.
Reduce ambient noise levels. Background noise of any kind can interfere with your patient’s ability to hear and understand what you are saying.
Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally. Don’t shout or exaggerate mouth movements. Shouting distorts speech sounds and over-exaggeration can make lip reading more difficult.
Say your patient’s name before beginning a conversation. This gives the patient a chance to focus attention and reduces the chance of missing words at the beginning of the conversation.
Avoid talking too rapidly or using sentences that are too complex. Slow down a little, pause between sentences or phrases, and wait to make sure you patient understands before you go on.
Keep your hands away from your face while talking. If you’re eating or chewing, etc. while talking, your speech will be more difficult to understand.
Rephrase rather than repeat. If your patient has difficulty understanding something you said, find a different way of saying it.
It’s not only important for you, the physician, to practice these communication strategies; it’s also important that you review these strategies with all of your employees. Hearing loss is an invisible disability. Why not practice Effective Communication Strategies with all of your patients? Increased patient satisfaction is guaranteed.
Theresa H. Bartlett, AuD, is a Doctorate Level Audiologist who currently owns and operates a small, private, Audiology practice in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Bartlett specializes in Lyric hearing products and will soon be a Golden Circle Audiologist for Sensaphonics hearing conservation products. www.virginiahearing.com
