Communication between Health Care Providers and Patients

Communication between Health Care Providers and Patients

Communication between Health Care Providers and Patients

A look inside the Healthy People 2020 Objectives

The Healthy People 2020, Health Communication and Health Information Technology objectives support effective use of communication and technology by health care and public health professionals. The second objective under this topic is to increase the proportion of persons who report that their health care providers have satisfactory communication skills. This is measured by the provider’s ability to:

• always listen carefully to the patient
• always explain things so the patient understands them
• always show respect for what the patient had to say
• always spend enough time with the patient

For data on the objectives and more information on the Health Communication and Health Information Technology objectives click here. To learn more about health literacy visit the CDC Health Literacy website.

Also, check out the Clear Communication Index! A research-based tool that helps you develop and assess communication materials for your intended audience.