Page 43 - ASCO Cultural Competency Toolkit

professional ready with information. Thus, communication should be clear and direct. Not surprisingly, mobile access to eye care professionals, such as social media and mobile billing, is often preferred. The RESPECT model of communication will convey the authenticity needed for valued patient-clinician communication (Swanston, 2022), (Rudolph, 2020).
“Social Context” Review of Systems
Considering the impact of the social determinants of health on the health outcomes in our clinical encounters, it is prudent to assess a patient’s risks and needs in order to gain a better understanding of the barriers they face that may render treatment and management less effective. There are several screening tools available from the AHRQ website that are useful in the clinical setting. As a communication model, the social context model of obtaining a review of systems can help identify various social determinants of health and uncover information relevant to patient behaviors, patient understanding of the disease, support systems, and ability to adhere to management plans. It can help to elicit cultural beliefs, build trust, and identify potential barriers to care in cross-cultural encounters (Betancourt, et al. 2021, Carillo, et al. 1999).
This patient-centered communication model should be used selectively and with sensitivity, focusing on pertinent issues relevant to the patient encounter since disclosing personal beliefs and social difficulties can be challenging for some patients to communicate. However, understanding patients’ motivations and recognizing potential barriers to care can allow clinicians to minimize their adverse effects on health, enhance communication, and improve outcomes. For example, if a patient is not following an eye drop regimen as prescribed, a clinician should consider barriers to completing the recommended health behavior. Inquiring with the patient respectfully, often with open-ended, non- judgmental questions, will help uncover factors external to the clinical encounter that contribute to the inability to take the drops as prescribed. The clinician can then make appropriate referrals and provide resources to support better health outcomes for the patient.
GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY
41