Healthcare Communication Methods
By: Vernetrial Davis
July 21, 2014
HCS/320 Robin Rompre

A Change in Communication

I’m Vernetrial Davis and I am the administrator of Houston County Care Center a long-term care facility here in Houston County. This facility offers long-term care services along with accommodations for one hundred and fifty live in patients. As the administrator of Houston County Care Center my responsibility is the quality and care for the patient or residents in whom is receiving care at the facility. Client satisfaction is of the utmost importance when it comes to the facility.
Communication is key when it comes to my patients and clients at the facility. We have to be able to easily and efficiently be able to have patient records and information accessible at all times mainly because we never know what could happen. When we have put into action all the necessities we need to pay attention to the medical records we keep it can sometimes be a pain. Keeping records of patients is one very important role for us. It is true that in many places medical records are now being transferred to electronic form called as EMR. We are trying to implement this as well. In these records there are notes made by doctors, illness history, history of care like diagnosis, allergic reaction, vaccination and other detailed health information about patients. For this reason, we have to be very careful about the maintenance of these documents and records.
When proper maintenance of these records are not maintained then vital information can be lost, shared without proper knowledge, or even end up with our patients personal information in someone else’s hands. This could mean a lot of negative publicity for our facility not only that, but law suits from family members of loved ones. There are laws that protect patients and clients information when they enter into a facility for their privacy and protection.
It is a fact that we have to follow the patient information privacy rule and best practices suggested by HIPPA law. As many research and academic bodies used to use patient information in experimental basis, we now need to follow the privacy rule strictly. This is a governmental rule to be applied for all healthcare facilities. As an administrator, I make sure that HIPPA Act of (1996) is being followed rightly. “I will ask the patient’s permission to share relevant information with family members or others, may tell the patient he or she plans to discuss the information and give them an opportunity to agree or object, or may infer from the circumstances, using professional judgment, that the patient does not object”. (Services, 2003) Whenever a new patient or even a service provider is in the facility for the first time, I ensure that they understand the privacy policy and are able to govern themselves accordingly
Being an administrator I need to utilize any method of communication that makes my clients feel satisfied. I try to have interaction with them a lot so I am able to understand their needs. When I interact with patients and their relatives, I also get to understand what is happening in our care patient facility. Communication in facilities are a team effort. That team effects all in whom is involved including families, staff, and residence.
Effective communication in the healthcare field needs to have right leadership and teamwork to have adequate interaction among the providers, residents, and clients. This can effectively present positive images of the healthcare organization to the media. I know how to avidly communicate with the patients and their near and dear ones. However, some patients’ relatives come from a different states and cities. I have to be able to keep them informed as to what is going on and addressing different changes within the facility. Gardenswartz, L., & Rowe, A., (1998, July) state that “in times of crisis this strategy can help a lot”.
Being an administrator I need to