You need to communicate with a physician. What's the best way to get your message across?

Bullet points are great. Don't have a paragraph of crammed verbose text and expect a busy doctor to read or comprehend it. Easy to understand, short bursts getting right to the point is a great way to deliver a message to a doctor.

Who are you, what will you be communicating, and why is it important? There is a big difference between a pharmaceutical or equipment representative, a nurse, an office worker, or a member of the administration. Physicians are busy individuals whose time like other professionals is their most precious resource. It is wise to be mindful of time and concise with communication. This demonstrates respect and will go a long way with physicians. Timing of both your message and the physician within their day is important. If it is high priority, then be direct and bring it to their attention. A message like a positive test result is more urgent than let me tell you about this new class of medication.

given the amount of information, clinicians are expected to sift through every day, messages should be clear to the point. Bulleted points if possible. Importantly - If there is an emergency - put that first!

It is essential to tailor your message to the physician's expertise and preferences, demonstrating respect for their time and knowledge. Provide context to your communication, highlighting any relevant background information or previous interactions to facilitate understanding. Emphasize the potential benefits or impacts of your message, illustrating how it aligns with the physician's goals or interests. Moreover, anticipate potential questions or concerns the physician may have and proactively address them in your message.

Recommend writing out your message and not leaving a VM with secretary who might interpret/transcribe incorrectly. Number your questions and recommend providing a written copy of questions and concerns in advance of office visit so doctor can prepare.

email, or electronic health messages should only be used for non urgent questions or inquiries. Anything urgent needs to be phoned to the office and response should be within an hour. Discussions regarding test results, scan reports, pathology results, prognosis, treatment recommendations, etc needs to be addressed face to face.

The channel is incredibly important. Is the message worth interrupting the person on the other end? What if they’re telling another patient about a bad test result? What if they’re responding to an emergency? But if you need them in an emergency? We have a serious problem of information overload, but also interruption overload, leading to context, switching, task, switching, and countless errors. Often, we choose the channel that’s easiest for us as the sender of the message. we should also be thinking of what the best mode is for that particular message, considering it’s urgency, importance, and the person who needs to receive it. Choose a NON-interruptive mode whenever possible (shared task list)

As you get to know your audience, you should be able to assess the correct chanel to communicate. You should be aware of the laws surrounding what information to include on all channels, especially when sharing phi. Using each channel at the right time such as when you should text, call and email. You should also be careful of phi you provide on the Subject lines via email. I agree all factors to be considered are: the tone you use, context and time frame (what’s urgent or what can wait). Always be ready to have flexibility in the way and how you communicate, tailoring it with knowledge of the person on the receiving end.

There is no one size fits all communication method for physicians. It is important to know how the physician you are trying to reach likes to receive their communications or if there is a need to both inform and document. Sending an email to a physician who does not respond to their email is a poor method if the physician prefers other modes of communication. Many physicians will use secure messaging applications for sensitive information that protects personal health information. It is important to know those of influence around the physician you are trying to communicate with. They often have a trusted assistant or nurse who protects their time and makes sure the physicians receives and respond to important communications.

In my experience, when dealing with sensitive patient information or discussing complex medical issues, a face-to-face meeting may be most suitable, allowing for in-depth discussion and the opportunity to address any concerns immediately. Similarly, urgent matters may necessitate a phone call to ensure prompt attention from the physician. On the other hand, less pressing matters or routine updates could be conveyed via email or through the electronic health record (EHR) system.

These recommendations apply to any person, any colleague, you might be working with, or sending a message to, not just physicians. We should give each other the benefit of the doubt and extend the same courtesies that we expect to receive, to everybody.

Most of this goes without saying; however, physicians deal with a lot of professional jargon and not knowing the terminology of the profession may indicate you do not understand the setting.

I agree that respect and grace is a must. There should never be a time or situation where common respect and courtesy are left out. Professionalism is always a must even in the face of adversity, challenge or disagreement. There is always opportunity and ways to handle every situation or challenge with grace. We all are imperfect. We all do and will make mistakes. Even among experts. Remember: People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou Before making a comment or call, approaching a conversation, sending an email or text, ask how do I want to be remembered? Leave them with respect and their dignity. Especially those in authority.

These recommendations apply to any person, any colleague, you might be working with, or sending a message to, not just physicians. We should give each other the benefit of the doubt and extend the same courtesies that we expect to receive, to everybody.

Be blunt, truthful And quick to answer and or show why your knowledge is important and can help. Be concise and clear, not personal. It’s all patient centered best practices to them so make it about the true reason.

I have found great success with physicians I supported by getting to know them first. I observe what captured their attention vs. what they disregard. I then tailor my communications based on my observations. Learn your audience beforehand, that has saved me each time.

I will often take notes on what I am telling my patient so that they have something to refer back to. I appreciate when the patient has a caregiver with them to help listen and document the discussion. Finally, the patient and caregiver may need time to digest the information or test results that they are given. I like to have my nurse in the room for more in depth discussions so that when the patient has additional questions, my team is ready to help respond.

In my experience, listening is how I’m able to learn and capture pertinent details. Identifying questions typically comes after I’ve reviewed notes and assessed if I understood the content. Being curious & respectful when asking questions verses being reactive builds trust.

Actively engage by attentively listening to their insights, observations, and recommendations. Furthermore, don't hesitate to pose relevant and respectful questions to seek clarification, confirm agreements, or explore alternative perspectives.

We overestimate the effectiveness of our communication significantly. Data shows that 40% of the time what we think we have communicated, we have not. So if your messages is important, having multiple forms of communication is helpful. That being said, we also live in a world of information, overload and interruption overload. If something does not need to be documented in the EHR, I would argue that we should not. If instead, it is something that can be written in a shared list or team communication program, when appropriate, that would be preferable. Messages get lost in translation. So the more important the message, the more you want to make sure you have an easy to find, easy to access, written version of the message.

Communicate with open ended questions, non judgmental and be receptive to ideas and suggestions. Avoid premature closure of suggested ideas and be innovative with solutions that will be useful, effective, productive and transformative in clinical practice.

Be direct and concise. Also, please don’t take offense if the physician quickly declines. As physicians, we may get 10-20 calls per day, let alone many emails, and we know what piques our interest and what falls flat. We are used to making quick decisions, so when a physician is intrigued and wants to know more, it isn’t a done deal but that is when the opportunity to discuss details presents itself.

Try to utilize the RN, or PA if Physician is busy. Try to be short and concise. Write down your questions. Write the answers unless they are provided in visit summary.

Always be courteous, direct and concise. Listen to hear their response and speak purposefully when replying or asking questions. Appreciate their time and knowledge because time is limited and knowledge is expansive and if one gives you their time, do not waste it.