Cultural Communication In The Field Of Radiology
Managing cancer or any life-threatening disease poses challenges of its own, but in multicultural healthcare environments those challenges increase. A particularly alarming challenge is associated with the communication between the patient and the healthcare provider in these environments regarding examinations and their preparation. Culture is important to consider in clinical care as it contributes to the patients’ beliefs, health-related values and associated behavior. Thus it is imperative in radiology, to not only consider culture when caring for patients, but to be certain that every opportunity to prepare patients for their exams is seized. By improving patient-healthcare worker communications regarding fluoroscopy examinations and increasing preparation for patients of different cultures we can reduce anxiety and increase patient compliance and satisfaction. Culturally competent patient–provider communication should be delivered to patients before and during the examination process, in turn, helping to decrease the challenges presented.
Of particular interest to me is the communication between care providers and patients from different cultures regarding fluoroscopy examinations and preparing patients for what to expect during their Upper GI exams. I am consistently faced in the radiology field with patients who are not clear on what to expect when they prepare for or attend their examination. This can lead to unnecessary anxiety and poor experience in their health care experience. To improve upon communication between health care providers and the ever-growing number of culturally diverse patients receiving exams every day, several factors must be considered; the rise of common diseases associated among minority ethnic and racial groups, language barriers while explaining patient responsibilities of preparation for and procedures of Upper GI exams, and the failure to relay critical information resulting in errors of diagnosis by care providers.
There is a diverse racial and ethnic population in the United States which continues to grow. As these populations increase, more patients from multicultural backgrounds are being seen and as such, differences in the patterns of gastrointestinal diseases are becoming more prevalent. Gastric cancer, for example, having one of the largest cancer mortality rates in the world, has a lower incident rate in the United States than that of other areas overseas, but still has a significantly higher rate among minorities, specifically African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans when compare to Caucasians. This and several other diseases such as H pylori, Colorectal cancer (CRC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have a higher incident rate in minority racial and ethnic groups than in Caucasians, which may be due to factors such as cultural attitudes towards screenings and communications deficits in explanation of procedures associated with exams.
A research design study completed at the Radiology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Korle-Bu Polyclinic in Ghana employed a research design employing a quantitative approach delved into multicultural communications specifically derived from examinations between radiographers and patients. This study expressed language barriers created when providing the best care possible to culturally diverse patients in explaining how a patient’s examination preparation and procedures are to be completed and the resulting diagnosis. It was found during this study that not only were the patients affected by the communication complications, but health care providers identified this as a source of workplace stress and this in turn affected their ability to communicate effectively, because of exaggerated body language and frustration caused by lack of understanding on both sides.
This type of problematic situation caused by communication barriers in culturally diverse relations between patient and care provider often leads to the failure of relaying critical information resulting in errors of diagnosis. Relaying tests results in the transition of care between providers, which is common in radiology, sees a vulnerability in communication breakdown, causing delay in care and delay in properly addressing abnormal test results. As procedures are introduced to bridge the gap in communication, such as the using Electronic Health Record (EHR) based systems, automatic messages, flagged messages, images and questions are becoming easier to transfer between care providers, however, it is not a fail safe method, as the amount of data compiled and stored results in a plethora of information that must be sorted through to identity the relevant material that pertains to the diagnosis. Strides in reducing the errors caused by ineffective communication are being made, and with effort, the probability of missed or prolonged diagnosis will decrease.
In my own experience in the field of radiology and the articles research articles I have studied, it is imperative to address the growing patterns of disease in minority racial and ethnic populations and provide effective communication over diverse cultures to ensure that the quality of care a patient is not hindered by communication breakdowns. An identified process to effectively communicate between healthcare workers and patients of different cultures must be utilized to help minimize noncompliance in proper preparation of the patient for exams related to fluoroscopy exams and to provide complete explanation of what to provide during their Upper GI Exams. Knowing that these kinds of communication barriers can and do exist in the radiological field, will allow me to be aware that alternate types of communication skills may be needed to be employed to ensure that I as a provider, am giving the best care possible.
