Lewis Valerae O, McLaurin Toni, Spencer Hillard T, Otsuka Norman Y, Jimenez Ramon L
Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Instr Course Lect. 2012;61:569-80.
Because communication is something that is often taken for granted, many people do not consciously think about communication habits and behaviors. When patients are questioned concerning important attributes of a doctor, they say they want someone who respects and listens to them. In a time of increasing malpractice litigation, physicians need to examine their communication skills. In an increasingly more diverse world, social and cultural beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors have a considerable effect on the health of communities. Patient safety, satisfaction, and successful outcomes rely on understanding the patient's medical and cultural needs. The concept of becoming a "cultural anthropologist" is improbable, but becoming aware of the demographics of the community in which the physician serves will improve communication and lead to improved patient and physician satisfaction, better patient compliance, and improved health outcomes.
由于沟通常常被视为理所当然的事情，许多人并没有有意识地思考沟通习惯和行为。当询问患者关于医生的重要特质时，他们表示希望医生尊重并倾听他们。在医疗事故诉讼日益增多的时代，医生需要审视自己的沟通技巧。在一个日益多元化的世界中，社会和文化信仰、态度及行为对社区健康有着相当大的影响。患者安全、满意度和成功的治疗结果依赖于对患者医疗和文化需求的理解。成为一名“文化人类学家”的想法不太可能实现，但了解医生所服务社区的人口统计学特征将改善沟通，并带来更高的患者和医生满意度、更好的患者依从性以及更好的健康结果。
