Communication Competence in Pediatric Practice: an Introduction to the Issue

Abstract

Currently the effectiveness of pediatric care is determined not only by the physician’s clinical competence but also by the quality of communication with patients and their legal representatives. A review of relevant literature, as well as extensive clinical and educational experience, confirms the сrucial role of professional communication in building trusting relationships between the physician, the child and child family. In medicine, professional communication encompasses purposeful actions that enable physicians to address clinical and professional tasks effectively, including eliciting complaints and medical history, structuring information, and explaining it in an accessible manner. The goal of such communication is not to try to please the patient or prevent complaints, but to build trusting relationships that enable to achieve the most effective health outcomes, including in complex clinical or emotional situations. From the perspective of healthcare service as a whole the ability to communicate clearly and understandably plays an important role in promoting public awareness of health-related issues and improving the population’s health literacy concerning disease prevention and early detection.This study analyzes the application of basic communication skills in partnership development in order to resolve medical issues and minimize psycho-emotional stress for the child, parents and healthcare professional.