KARACHI, March 13: Speakers at a seminar urged doctors to improve their communication skills for better relations between doctors and patients besides improving the outcome of treatment.

At a seminar on communication skills organized by the Department of Psychiatry, Liaquat National Hospital (LNH) Karachi on Saturday, Clinical Psychologist Ms Zaeema Riaz said education in communication skills should be an essential part of the syllabi of all healthcare professionals.

Communication skills include the ability to engage with patients on an emotional level, showing empathy, to listen, to assess how much information a patient wants to know, and to convey information with clarity, she said.

In a survey on specific patients population, about 60 per cent complained about lack of involvement in decisions about their care, and that they were given no information about resuming normal activities after treatment.

Ms Zaeema said when a doctor uses communication skills effectively, the problems of patients are identified more accurately.

She said one of the main subject areas of communication skill training for healthcare professionals was how to break bad news, consulting patients and relatives, dealing with angry patients, difficult and reluctant patients, explaining and negotiating skills.

Non-verbal communication including eye contact, leaning forward, smiling, touching hands, broadly smiling, nodding head, gesturing with hands, showing happiness, open body position, straightening one’s back are very important besides assuming the responsibility for clearing up any misunderstanding, she stressed.

Dr Moin Ahmed Ansari said in this era of advanced treatment facilities, doctors needed to understand the importance of communication skills.

Dr Ayesha M Quraishy, head of the Department of Psychiatry, Medical Director LNH Dr Salman Faridi, Dr Kausar Ansari and Dr Nida Ali also spoke. — PPI