Active listening

Active listening is a communication technique that plays an important role in

establishing an efficient doctor-patient relationship.
Even though it seems to be an easy process, active listening involves a certain kind of
attention paid to the speaker, meaning that the listener has to be completely focused on the
speech, in order for him/her to be able to understand that specific point of view and give the
right feedback. In the case of medical practitioners, the skill of active listening has to be
acquired and taken into consideration especially during the medical interview, leading to a
productive dialogue that can further help in determining a correct diagnosis.
There are some obstacle attitudes to be avoided for the active listening process to come
out successful, such as personal interpretations, judgemental behavior, assertive questions;
these attitudes make the communication between doctor and patient redundant, since the patient
will no longer feel comfortable and at ease when talking about his situation.
Since most patients talk about their problems with some sort of prudence, active
listening (along with the attention paid to body language and other signals that the speaker
emits during the speech) can help the doctor find the cues necessary in problem identification.
Furthermore, the interest shown by the doctor through this ability to listen carefully and
without unnecessary interruptions or negative attitudes builds trust in the doctor-patient
relationship and helps the patient get more confident and be more specific when describing the
situation he is experiencing.
In this process of building trust and carrying a proactive conversation, active listening
goes hand in hand with nonverbal communication elements, such as body language: leaning
towards the speaker, nods, maintaining eye contact; these make the speaker aware that his
concerns are evaluated and taken into account. Verbal signs of active listening, such as
remembering key points, asking relevant questions, paraphrasing in order to get the facts
straight, summarization of the main points of the speech, all shown by the medical practitioners
during the contact with patients, are also key to a productive communication.
In conclusion, active listening is an essential communication skill that has to be acquired
by the medical practitioner, enabling the establishment of a functional and professional doctor-
patient relationship, resulting in fast diagnosis and, eventually, problem solving.