Medical myths

CNN had an interesting article a couple weeks back about the longevity of medical myths and how both doctors and patients need to occasionally step back and question their assumptions. Science is about comparing beliefs with evidence, and this extends to the things we've long believed to be true.

As communicators, it can be especially difficult to communicate evidence when it goes against commonly held beliefs. Describing the evidence in a clear, accessible way is the best place to start.

Communicating discharge instructions

An article in MedPage Today examines the importance of communicating discharge instructions to patients. Effective communication of discharge instructions can reduce readmission rates. Interventions and home visits can be especially effective in following up on discharge instructions. But the two studies featured showed low patient participation rates in follow-up programs are low.

It seems that the challenge is for physicians and nurses to communicate not one, but two things: 1. The importance of following discharge instructions, and 2. How follow-up plans can help with 1.

In addition to communicating clearly, physicians and nurses need to listen to patient and family questions and concerns in order to make discharge planning successful and reduce readmission rates.

More on advertising junk food to children

U.S. News and World Report reported on the food industry's response to the Obama administration's recommendation regarding advertising junk food to children. The administration advised setting nutrition guidelines for the kind of food that can be limited to children. A coalition of the nation's largest food makers has set its own, less stringent guidelines, to go into effect by December 31, 2013.

The guidelines and recommendations are all part of an ongoing discussion about the influence of media on children's nutritional habits. The discussion should continue, not just on a policy level, but on an interpersonal level as well. Parents, doctors, teachers and kids should have continuing discussion about how media tries to influence the decisions we make. Let's call it a lesson in media literacy, with a little health literacy on the side.

Tips for talking to your child's doctor

CNN.com and Parenting magazine had an article with tips for talking to your child's doctor. The tips included ways to use technology to help improve communication with the doctor, including using technology such as smart phone apps to help you track your child's health and immunization history. They also make recommendations for limiting the Internet research you do to reputable web sites, and using the information to guide the conversation rather than make a pre-diagnosis. The article provided some concise, useful and accessible tips for communicating with your child's doctor in an ever-changing technology and health care landscape.

New ways to interview potential future doctors

The New York Times had an article about new techniques that medical schools are using to interview potential medical students and future doctors. Rather than depending exclusively on test scores, grades and a single interview, some medical schools are using several smaller interviews, where potential students are asked to grapple with some of the issues facing the practice of medicine, including ethical issues and issues with insurance. The idea is to identify students with strong communication and interpersonal skills, skills which will be important to navigating the health care system. While grades are an important indicators of whether students will be able to handle the workload of a career in medicine, communication skills are an important indicator of how well the students will be able to provide care as doctors.

Communication in Hospitals

Check out this blog post from Rock Health about the difference effective communication can make in hospitals. Focusing on better communication helps patients understand discharge instructions, improves quality of care while in the hospital, and creates an environment where all the staff endeavor to provide better care. And with new, innovative tools for assessing and measuring communication, hospitals and clinics will have the resources to continue to emphasize this important aspect of clinical care.