Communication, an important link between healthcare providers: a best practice implementation project

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Laboratory Science
• Communication Studies

Background:

• Effective communication is fundamental to interpersonal interactions and healthcare delivery.
• The dynamic healthcare environment necessitates continuous awareness and training in communication skills.
• Communication serves as a crucial tool for managing change within the healthcare industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance communication skills among medical laboratory staff.
• To improve the overall quality of health services provided by the laboratory team.
• To address communication barriers identified within a multidisciplinary healthcare setting.

Main Methods:

• A project utilizing the JBI framework to improve medical laboratory communication.
• Baseline and follow-up audits involving 30 multidisciplinary healthcare providers (HCP).
• Data collection through questionnaires, direct observation, interviews, and record review, followed by a three-session communication workshop and subsequent audit.

Main Results:

• The intervention led to improved participant evolution and healthcare team cohesion.
• Initial audits revealed limited prior communication training and identified time constraints as barriers.
• Post-intervention audits demonstrated improved HCP compliance with communication best practices, particularly in areas initially showing insufficient compliance.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced communication is essential for meeting patient needs and ensuring high-quality healthcare services.
• The study highlights the positive impact of targeted communication training on healthcare teams.
• Interpersonal communication training was successfully implemented and improved compliance within the medical laboratory setting.