title: [Communication between health care professionals and patients].
abstract: In recent years, a wide variety of health-related issues make the headlines almost everyday: the shortage of physicians, an increase in elderly patients, a difficulty in maintaining emergency pediatric care services (due to the declining birthrate), the capacity of the existing emergency medical services, medical malpractice, and the H1N1 influenza vaccine. In Japan, there has been an increasing demand for health care with an emphasis on quality over quantity based the viewpoint of health care recipients, instead of providers. Since 1995, when the obligation of informed consent was adopted, there has been an improvement, although still insufficient, in patient-oriented medical services, including attitudes towards patients. A clinical laboratory technician is required to conduct a clinical examination in a prompt and accurate manner, based on a physician's instructions written on the examination slip. Based on the results of the examination, the physician determines the diagnosis and informs the patient of it, which means that clinical laboratory technicians support the QOL of patients indirectly. Patients sometimes ask about the purpose, methods, and results of a clinical examination, prior to, following, or during its implementation. In hospitals with recently developed complex, advanced equipment for clinical examination, physicians and laboratory technicians place orders for examinations without providing any detailed explanation to patients. Patients feel very anxious and nervous wondering what clinical examination they are going to undergo, and demand an adequate explanation of the test from laboratory technicians. However, patients are often dissatisfied with their manner and remarks, such as "The attending physician will give you the results in detail", and make complaints in some cases. As a provider of health care services, clinical laboratory technicians have a responsibility to meet their patients' demands. It is very important for clinical laboratory technicians to provide patients with an explanation in a caring and considerate manner, making it simple and easy-to-understand as long as it does not contradict the laws and results of an examination.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ohara Management, Fujimi 354-0031, Japan. wa72875@wb3.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohara
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006296:Health Services / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care