Health Commun.  2021 Jun;16(1):1-6. 10.15715/kjhcom.2021.16.1.1.

Communication with a noncooperative patient and his/her family

• Park EW
• Kang BJ

• KMID: 2526455
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15715/kjhcom.2021.16.1.1

Abstract

Difficult patients who meet in the clinic may have a negative effect on the patient’s clinical outcomes by leading to difficulties in history taking, relationship building, diagnosis and treatment. Factors that contribute to non-cooperative patients include physician factors, patient factors, environmental factors, and communication factors. In order to communicate with non-cooperative patients, efforts to prepare for interviews and build relationships, self-reflective attitudes, empathic listening, the use of preceptors or reflective teams, and the maintenance of identity as medical professionals should be emphasized. Multi-party conversations, including family members, may be difficult in patient interviews, and physician should check the emotional responses and expectations that families feel about patient care. Within a family, there are many hidden strengths that could become valuable resources for healing the patient. But they will most likely to come out when families are faced with challenges for which their present repertoire of responses seems inadequate. Health care providers can become a significant part of this process that can result in better patient care and rewarding relationships with families.

Keyword

noncooperative patient; health communication; family-centered communication