What are the Obstructing and Improving Factors of Verbal Conversation

In this context, we are focusing on the conversation between a physician and his patient, and different factors which lead this conversation to effective or drags it down. As we know that every conversation has its own techniques, which makes it effective. These techniques vary from field to field, for instance in a business field, the conversation has its own techniques and in an agricultural field, a conversation has its own. Similar to these, in medicine, a conversation has its own specific techniques which help physicians to communicate with patients properly.

• Obstructing Factors

The obstructing factors which make verbal conversations between a physician and his patient least effective are as follow:

1. Lack of exclusivity.
2. Preoccupied or anxious doctor
3. Awkward and uncomfortable seating
4. Lack of attention toward non-verbal cues
5. Offensive remarks or judgment
6.  Frequent interruptions
7. Selective listening
8. Dozing off during conversation

• Improving Factors

Following are some of the main and simple factors which make conversation effective.

1. Use of minimal prompts
2. Sit squarely to the patient
3. Lean slightly towards the patient
4. Reasonable eye contact maintained
5. Listen to the content message
6. Listen to the feelings 
7. Respond to the feeling
8. Try to build sympathetic relationship with patient
9. Note all paralinguistic and non-verbal cues during conversation