This should not be new news, but it is. Recent studies at the University of Virginia Health System found that a five-minute morning chat with a patient regarding their overall well-being and annotating any persistent symptoms greatly improved patient satisfaction.
Patients are not robots, and neither should healthcare providers be. But in a hectic environment such as a hospital, it is easy for nurses and physicians to lose touch and see their job as “what” is being treated instead of “who” is being treated.
Researcher Claudia Allen stated that, “This task does not ask that doctors do anything radically different or add something totally extra.”
Additional research suggests that depending on the patient’s situation, five minutes is not a mandatory standard to take time and touch base with a patient. These chats can take anything between 2-5 minutes; the important thing is giving the patient peace of mind and helping them understand more regarding their stay, progress, and hopeful prompt release.
For more information on the original article posted by FierceHealthcare, click here.
Sources:
FierceHealthcare
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
