Influence of communication of medical personnel with patients on health care units management processes

A health care is characterised of creating an individual, specific relation between representatives of health care units and patients, which means that not only medical staff professionalism but also an empathetic attitude towards patients are important questions. Literature regarding the issue of communication with patients is growing, there are as well workshops in an effective communication, nevertheless the topic is still of minor importance. Meanwhile, relations between medical personnel and patients may put a major impact on the quality of health care as well as patients satisfaction with medical services, what is important from a management point of view. A proper way of patients’ treatment by medical personnel may result not only in better attitude towards therapy, but also it may influence a more efficient management of health care facilities, as patient satisfied with medical services may recommend an organisation, which may have a positive impact on an institution’s image, allowing a manager to focus on more important aspects of an institution management. For the above reasons it is important to get to know medical personnel’s attitude to developing as well as improving communication skills in order to provide a holistic patients care, what can significantly influence a health care units management. Medical staff communication skills are important not only from a treatment perspective, but they can also be significant from the perspective of health care organisations management. The study material was gathered in the first quarter of 2014. In the final analysis questionnaires from 113 representatives of various medical professions were taken into consideration. The study results show that in the process of medical professionals education there is only a little attention paid to acquiring communication skills regarding communication between a patient and medical personnel. Also, the hypothesis according to which medical personnel is satisfied with communication with patients was confirmed. Furthermore, medical staff agree in stating that they care for a proper communication with patients. Conclusions coming from the study results may define a specific way of health care units management, which should comprise, among others, financial resources for trainings in medical personnel soft skills improvement.