Creating Effective Communication and Teamwork for Patient Safety

Abstract

This chapter describes how to overcome barriers to patient safety and use the tools of effective communication as the basis for delivery of safe patient care. Failed communication is the most common reason for harm to the recipient of healthcare. In the context of a clinical setting, effective communication is the accurate transfer of information between two or more providers. Communication fails when it is incomplete, ineffective or inappropriate. The result is patient harm, i.e., substandard care because of missing and inadequate information. The importance of understanding why this happens and what is the context of communication within health care organizations cannot be overemphasized.

Patient safety culture exists within a conducive set of behavioral norms. Teamwork and effective communication are part of a multidimensional framework that determines safety culture and ultimately the quality of care. Good teamwork and effective communication rely on mutual respect, problem solving and sharing of ideas. Without these essential elements, care cannot be delivered in a safe and reliable way. Unfortunately, this dynamic is far from being the norm in today’s health care environment. Many health care providers – especially physicians – lack deep understanding of good communication skills and ignore opportunity to improve when they fall short. Today, many members of health care teams will admit that their ability to communicate is hindered and that they would be hesitant to point out mistakes made by their leaders (again in particular physicians) even though they judge good teamwork by their ability to speak up. Conversely, physicians see good teamwork and communication as the ability and effectiveness to tell others what to do and get it done.