Written communication skills are crucial in healthcare (Melvin, Connolly, Pitre, Dore & Wasi, 2015) as they allow for the dissemination of information in a succinct way (Goyder, Alberton, Car, Heneghan & Car, 2015). Research suggests deficiencies in this skill lead to disruption of care (Vermeir et al., 2015), compromised patient safety (Jefferies, Johnson & Nicholls, 2014), breaches of confidentiality (Goyder et al., 2015), and a reduced quality of care (Melvin et al., 2015). Written communication provides detailed information, which increases understanding of health issues, so that effective treatment plans can be implemented (Vermeir et al., 2015). Furthermore, verbal communication is not always possible, so this offers another medium through which colleagues can interact (Vermeir et al., 2015). I will ensure my written communication is structured and comprehensive so my clients and colleagues are informed about the treatment being delivered.
Video outlining good techniques for written communication.
A sample medical record I created.
A sample letter from an academic.
This demonstrates written communication between client and clinician.