By: Kimberly Sumner, MSPT, CSMT, TPS – Director of Marketing, Partner
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw, Nobel Prize-winning playwright
“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” – Yehuda Berg
As a physical therapy company, we at ARC Physical Therapy+ are in the business of helping people through their healing process. Our top priority with each patient is to return them to their prior level of function. That may be walking their dog several blocks, running a marathon, or being able to shovel, lift and dig to return to work. Whatever the physical injury or goal may be, there is always a need for quality communication.
The Importance of Communication in Healing
A study performed about five years ago shows that there are four pieces of information a typical patient wants to know when meeting with a medical provider.
What Every Patient Wants to Know
- What is wrong with me?
- How long will it take (to heal)?
- What can I (the patient) do for it?
- What can you (the clinician) do for it?
Collaborative Communication Between Clinicians
Providing this information to the patient begins with the diagnosing physician and requires a strong collaborative effort between the treating therapist and physician. Consistent messaging to the patient is key in helping them to trust the rehabilitative process and comply with the program set before them.
Educating Patients: Reducing Fear and Building Trust
Physical and occupational therapists spend significant time with patients two to three times per week and find themselves being asked these questions multiple times a day. Educating a patient by providing answers to these simple questions creates buy-in for the patient as to why a therapist is asking them to do specific exercises or treatments. Answering these questions with compassion and understanding also helps to take the fear out of the healing process.
The Impact of Education on Pain Perception
Research performed with functional MRIs has shown that a simple 30 minutes of education can significantly reduce the amount of energy the brain spends processing pain when the patient understands more about what is happening in their body. And the great news is, this can be done while a patient is exercising!
Encouraging Open Conversations in Therapy
As a patient or a medical practitioner, don’t be afraid to have these conversations and ensure everyone involved in treatment understands the injury, time commitments and what everyone can do to promote healing.
