"If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself." ~ Albert Einstein
In the workplace, it really makes sense to keep things simple. Studies have shown when business owners or managers talk above their people's heads they lose them and along with losing them they lose productivity.
This is especially true when working in the medical field. If a physician talks to his/her patients in medical terminology the patient most times has no clue what the doctor is talking about or very little. This not only confuses and frustrates the patient, it can make them feel stupid.
I remember feeling this way when I went to purchase a new phone and the salesperson was talking about the technology of the phone like I really would understand him. All I wanted to know is how to set it up, how good the camera was, and can I use it overseas. Although the salesperson thought he was doing a great job, in reality he was causing me to feel overwhelmed and frustrated.
In our practices when we provide services or products to the patients it is important to remember to answer their questions in simple terms, if they want more details because they have the knowledge they will ask you.
It is also an excellent idea to have a Q&A sheet for your patients on the various products and services your practice provides written in simple, clear language. Many times patients are a bit overwhelmed at their visit and even though they hear what is being said they quickly forget and having a handout for them to read later will be much appreciated.
Putting forth the effort to keep our communication simple, clear and direct at work actually makes our work easier for our patients and us.