The Interpersonal Communication Strategy between Doctors and Patients

Abstract

Communication was a social process in which people used symbols to create and interpret meanings in their environment. The ability to communicate between doctors and patients determined the success of solving a patient's health problems. This study discussed what kind of interpersonal communication that the doctors used on multicultural patients at Mitra Sejati Hospital in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The methods used in this study were qualitative methods by using ethnography study. According to the study results, it was found that the multicultural communication process of doctors and patients initially proceeded in the form of verbal and non-verbal communication. Second, the barriers that occur in intercultural communication were language, perception, and cultural barriers. Third, the doctors used some techniques to make a successful communication, such as recognizing and naming the patient, greeting the patient, shaking hands or touching the patient, explaining the medical action taken, understanding the patient's condition through communication, and giving an opportunity to explain their conditions, gave a silent for a moment, and asked appropriate questions at the level of interpersonal communication with the patient.