Occupational therapists must remove communication barriers and implement enablers to elevate the quality of care experienced by patients (Bruinessen et al., 2013). Barriers can be physical, semantics or technological among others and impede interactions between people (Forsgren, Skott, Hartelius, & Saldert, 2016). Clinicians must be equipped to overcome these barriers to foster the greatest outcomes for their clients (Forsgren et al., 2016). In practice, I will minimize these barriers by using accessible language, collaborating with clients and working to achieve a mutual understanding.
Diagram of the common barriers to communication.
Video demonstrating a technological barrier in communication.