Effective healthcare fundamentally relies on effective communication. The seamless transfer of information during every patient visit, procedure, and handoff between healthcare providers ensures patient safety, efficiency, and trust. Inadequate communication can harm patients, healthcare teams, and organizations.
Miscommunication between healthcare providers, such as during patient handoffs or transitions of care, can lead to medical errors, misdiagnoses, and incorrect treatments. As the study Critical Communication: A Cross-sectional Study of Signout at the Prehospital and Hospital Interface notes, “Miscommunication during patient handoff contributes to an estimated 80% of serious medical errors and, consequently, plays a key role in the estimated five million excess deaths annually from poor quality of care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).”
According to the study Impact of Poor Communication among Nurses and Internal Medicine physicians on Patient Safety: A Narrative Review with case study, “Effective communication is directly linked to increased patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment plans. Patients who understand their diagnosis and treatment options are more likely to follow medical advice and maintain their health regimens.” The study also notes that “Communication that is clear and empathetic helps in building trust between patients and healthcare providers, which is crucial for patient engagement and cooperation. For older patients, quality communication has been shown to improve patient-centered outcomes, including satisfaction and quality of life.” As a result, poor communication reduces patient trust in their providers, making it harder for them to engage in shared decision-making and follow-through on care instructions.
Miscommunication can lead to unnecessary testing, duplicate services, or readmissions due to unresolved health issues. This raises costs for the patient and increases the financial strain on the healthcare system. Hospitals may also face malpractice lawsuits or need to allocate resources to mitigate the effects of poor communication, further adding to costs. According to the Joint Commission International, “communication failures in United States hospitals and medical practices were responsible at least in part for 30% of all malpractice claims, resulting in 1,744 deaths and $1.7 billion in malpractice costs over five years.”
Poor communication, as noted in the study Poor Communication among Nurses and Internal Medicine physicians on Patient Safety: A Narrative Review with case study, “significantly impacts staff morale and stress levels, particularly among nurses and internal medicine physicians. This issue not only affects individual well-being but also has broader implications for teamwork and job satisfaction. Effective communication creates a collaborative environment, and its absence can lead to increased stress, reduced job satisfaction, and compromised patient care.”
Miscommunication between departments or providers can delay diagnostic tests and treatment, worsening patient conditions. “This is often due to inadequate oral and written communication between healthcare providers,” write the authors in the study Poor Communication among Nurses and Internal Medicine physicians on Patient Safety: A Narrative Review with case study.
Poor documentation or miscommunication of health information may lead to non-compliance with HIPAA, putting patient confidentiality at risk. Furthermore, non-compliance can result in legal consequences, such as fines, penalties, and reputational damage.
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Improving communication in healthcare requires a proactive, multi-layered approach. The study Poor Communication among Nurses and Internal Medicine Physicians on Patient Safety: A Narrative Review with Case Study outlines several evidence-based strategies that healthcare organizations can adopt to strengthen collaboration and reduce preventable harm caused by communication breakdowns.
An effective strategy is the use of standardized communication tools, such as the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) framework. By structuring how information is shared between clinicians, SBAR improves clarity and consistency while reducing the likelihood of errors. When all team members follow the same communication format, critical clinical details are less likely to be missed during patient handoffs or interdisciplinary discussions.
Regular interdisciplinary team meetings can bring nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals together, creating a shared space to discuss patient progress, care plans, and emerging concerns. According to the study, these meetings encourage open dialogue, help break down hierarchical barriers, and ensure that the different perspectives from all members are incorporated into clinical decision-making. When clinicians are encouraged to share observations and question decisions in a structured setting, patient care becomes more coordinated and responsive to emerging risks. This is supported by other studies, including a scoping review, Current Trends in Interprofessional Shared Decision-Making Programmes in Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review, which notes that “SDM [shared decision-making] improves clinical outcome, patients’ knowledge of options, and patient care.”
In addition, targeted communication training that emphasizes active listening, respectful interaction, and clear information exchange can improve team dynamics. Such skills are especially important in environments where high workloads and burnout can increase the likelihood of miscommunication. By strengthening communication skills, healthcare teams can be better equipped to minimize misunderstandings and work more effectively together.
Creating a culture of open communication sustains these strategies over time. When healthcare institutions prioritize respectful, clear, and timely information sharing, clinicians are more likely to raise safety concerns, seek clarification, and escalate issues before they result in patient harm. This cultural shift supports effective teamwork and long-term improvements in patient safety and care quality.
Using Paubox Email Suite can enhance communication in healthcare by providing a secure, HIPAA compliant channel for patient and provider interactions. Paubox Email Suite allows healthcare organizations to send encrypted emails to patients' inboxes without requiring any extra login steps, ensuring ease of use while safeguarding sensitive information. As a result, this secure communication method helps patients feel more comfortable discussing their health information online. It also enables healthcare providers to share essential updates, test results, and appointment reminders quickly and safely.
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Common barriers include time constraints, language differences, cultural disparities, medical jargon, and the emotional state of patients. Additionally, differences in communication styles and inadequate training can hinder effective communication among healthcare providers.
Technology, such as EHRs, secure email platforms, and telehealth, can streamline communication by enabling instant information sharing, secure messaging, and easy access to patient records. It helps ensure that all healthcare providers have up-to-date information, enhancing coordinated care.
Providers can use simple language, avoid medical jargon, and confirm patient understanding through teach-back methods, where patients explain the information in their own words. Visual aids, videos, and written materials tailored to the patient’s literacy level can also help.
See also: How HIPAA compliant emails can increase health literacy