Effective Communication Skills of Medical Staff and Their Relationship with the Effectiveness of Patient Care

A Field Study on Inpatients at Zliten Central Hospital

Abstract

The research aims to assess the level of effective communication skills among healthcare professionals and its impact on service effectiveness. The study was conducted on a sample of inpatients at Zliten Central Hospital. The research community included all patients present at the hospital during the data collection period, with a sample size of 65 patients. The research utilized measurement scales for effective communication skills and service effectiveness. The results indicated that the level of communication skills (verbal and non-verbal communication, listening, questioning, self-control, persuasion) and the level of healthcare service effectiveness, including public satisfaction and improvement in health outcomes, were high. The findings also revealed a statistically significant relationship between healthcare service effectiveness and its dimensions (increased patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes) and all aspects of effective communication skills except for the persuasion dimension. Furthermore, the results showed statistically significant gender differences in dimensions of effective communication skills (verbal communication, non-verbal communication, listening), favoring females. However, no statistically significant differences were found between males and females in skills such as questioning, self-control, and persuasion.  Additionally, the results indicated statistically significant age-related differences, favoring the younger age group. No statistically significant differences were found in the healthcare service effectiveness dimensions (increased patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes) based on gender. Similarly, no significant differences were observed based on age group.