The Voyager: Why Your Words Matter

Kyle Barnett, PT, DPT, Cert MDT, SFMA, Area Leader

“My Doctor told me this was the worst knee he’d ever seen.” 

“My last physical therapist told me my hamstrings were the tightest he’d ever felt.” 

“My Doctor said he’d never seen an MRI with this many problems.” 

Working in healthcare carries high stakes: People place their trust in you to help them return to a higher quality of living.  They are looking for your knowledge to help them with simple things such as their ability to get up in the morning, go to work, drive a car, or pick up their young child who can’t understand Mom or Dad’s back pain.  No matter what role you play in the healthcare system, the types of words and phrases you use with your patients affect them physically and psychologically. 

Building a Foundation of Trust

The foundational partnership between a therapist and patient is referred to as the therapeutic alliance.  Establishing this quickly allows patients to feel heard, understood, and share personal, important information that will assist you in building their therapeutic plan.  This lays the foundation for connection and enabling them to be active participants in care. 

The Psychological Impact of Framing

The way information is presented can alter feelings of anxiety, fear, and even perceptions of pain.  Building a strong therapeutic alliance, lets the patient know you are “in this together.”  Avoid negative suggestions like warning a patient “this could hurt a LOT.”  If you need to work through some discomfort, make sure the patient knows they remain in control and should say “Stop” to give them a break.  Demonstrating to a patient they can be an active participant in their care will help them relax and enhance their outcome.  Showing empathy, making eye contact, and using open-ended questions like “Tell me more about that” demonstrates to patients you value their perspective. 

Practical Tips to Master Communication in Healthcare

• Framing benefits vs risks: Patients are more likely to opt for necessary procedures when informed about the benefits, rather than focusing solely on potential complications. 
• Empowerment: Using patient-first language focuses on the person rather than the disease.  This helps to build and establish a rapport with patients that empowers them to take charge of their health. 
• Mirroring: The mirroring communication technique involves the provider repeating back a concise summary of what the patient has just expressed to ensure clarity, understanding, and alignment.  Using the patient’s own words to recap the information demonstrates active listening, empathy with their situation and quickly establishes therapeutic alliance. 
• The Teach-Back Method: Ask patients to explain their care back to you to ensure they truly understand. 
• Use Visual Aids: Using models and diagrams with patients is a tactic that is patient dependent.  Some patients might want to see a diagram or a model to truly understand all the nuances of their medical problems.  In other individuals, this may induce anxiety, fear, increase pain, or reduce their likelihood of actively participating in treatment.  Effective clinicians recognize subtle emotional cues and modify their communication in real time. 
• Make it Personal: Patients often present in a nervous state due to the unknown nature of their care needs.  You can quickly lower the temperature by acknowledging them, introducing yourself with your name and your role, share how long their appointments will be, what you’ll be doing, and thank them for being an active participant in their care.  The more you can do to reduce your patient’s fears and concerns, the quicker they’ll make progress in their care. 

You are helping people navigate some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives.  By choosing your words with intention and care, you are doing more than communicating.  You are contributing meaningfully to their healing process. 

 Enjoy the Journey! 

LHMPTI