Irene Blair of Newark, Delaware, meets with her doctor, Mark O’Hara, at her December appointment.
Alejandro A Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS
You’re a college student, and it is your first time getting sick away from home. This is the first time you are navigating your health independently. Where do I go? Who do I call? What should I do? Questions fill your head as you take matters into your own hands. The key is communication between the patient and provider for a greater health outcome.
There are four main motivations behind the shift toward more collaborative patient–provider communication, which includes knowledge, efficiency, satisfaction, and a sense of connection. According to Communicating About Health by Athena du Pre and Barbara Cook Overton, as a college student who is newly navigating their own healthcare, knowledge and health literacy are important in terms of a simple diagnosis or potential treatment plan.
Finding a provider with whom you feel comfortable communicating will allow you to broaden your knowledge of your own health. In terms of efficiency, preparing and organizing questions for the provider prior to the appointment will help you from forgetting to mention something important.
Efficiency is key to clear communication, preventing miscommunication and confusion. It can be difficult to find a provider you connect with and feel satisfied with their care. Seeking a provider who makes you feel respected and understood will increase your trust in the provider and make you less anxious about all aspects of your health and managing your healthcare.
Establishing a sense of connection with your provider is important when it comes to trusting them with your health and opening up about personal concerns. These four motives for good communication, allow you to be confident and comfortable with the healthcare you seek and receive.
As a student managing school work and a social life, trying to advocate for yourself can seem like an exhausting and daunting task, and that’s why understanding how to foster good patient-provider communication is important before you actually have to do it.
It is important to remember that even though it is new for you to be managing your own health, doctors and healthcare providers are trained in this profession, they are reliable and trustworthy. As a patient, being honest and willing to share your medical concerns will help build trust with the provider and give them information for an accurate diagnosis. For better communication, don’t be afraid to ask questions, be detailed with concerns, and advocate for yourself. Good patient-provider communication does not just result in better health outcomes but better control over your health.
Johnson writes in Duke Center for Personalized Health Care, “The physician-patient relationship is a foundation of clinical care. Stronger physician-patient relationships are correlated with improved patient outcomes.”
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