The doctor-patient relationship is one of the most special relationships an individual can have—a trust and alliance that’s essential for high-quality healthcare. However, over the  past few decades this association has declined. The days of “the doctor knows everything” are over, and it is up the professionals to redefine trust and restore an open line of communication with their patients.

Although various theories have been proposed to explain the downfall of this relationship, among the most notable are the excessive use of medical terminology, cultural differences, the divergence of medical beliefs, and low health literacy. In this article, we’re going to review some of the most common misunderstandings that occur between doctors and patients, as well as some solutions for restoring this bond.

After all, physicians always have more authority to direct interactions with patients, which could be the difference between life, death or simply a good or bad experience with a doctor.

Cultural Hindrances

Society today is multi-ethnic and multicultural, meaning doctors are working with patients who belong to a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds. Due to this unprecedented variance, physicians may have difficulty communicating on a personal level.

Differences in Medical Beliefs

It becomes highly difficult for doctors to work effectively when when patients have a strong belief in traditional or alternative medical treatments. In such situations, the physician may struggle to relay vital information related to the prognosis of a disease and the available treatment options for the patient.

Low Health Literacy

Health literacy is the attribute of an individual to read and understand the particular instructions on drug bottles, prescription slips, and doctor’s directions on consent forms. Thus, a failure to understand and comply to the instructions can lead to serious consequences for the patient.

Structural Barriers

In some instances, structural barriers may also cause misunderstandings between the doctor and the patient. These structural barriers include: lack of organization in hospitals, incomplete delivery of patient records to the concerned physician, and lack of coordination between different medical departments.

How Do We Eradicate These Misunderstandings and Improve Patient-Doctor Communication?

Society today is multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic. Serious efforts are required to eradicate the cultural and linguistic differences between patients and doctors. One solution is to simply increase the number of physicians that belong to diverse cultural backgrounds so they’re able to connect with people of their culture and ethnicity. In any case, however, it is important for doctors to focus on educating their patients on the positives of modern medicine.

To remove any structural barriers in the doctor-patient relationship, efficient organization and coordination of different medical departments must be ensured. The transfer of information between medical departments must be seamless, as it leads to quick delivery of high-quality care.

There are also some important pointers that can be followed by both doctors and patients to minimize misunderstandings. While the patient should be able to speak freely without any hesitation, the doctor should also understand the concerns of the patient with subtlety.

Furthermore, doctors should always ensure that the patient has a complete understanding of their medical condition, including the prognosis and available treatment options. On the other hand, patients should always communicate any physical experience related to an illness, in order for the doctor to efficiently identify and diagnose them.