The research is very clear that communication and relationships issues are critical to patient care and have a strong impact on patient satisfaction, improved patient adherence to treatment regimens, clinical outcome, teamwork & cultural sensitivity.

Patients in India often complain that they ‘don’t understand what is going on’ or the physician ‘did not explain their condition clearly’. While in the western world, patient communication is an integral part of medical student training, such emphasis or formal training in patient communication is rarely seen in Indian medical schools.

There is no doubt that skilled communication is at the heart of good patient care.

The case can be made that good communication is key to patient safety and the pillar of palliative care — aligning patient’s wishes and goals with treatment plans. A big part of the equation is learning to use words that adequately communicate the message we are trying to convey while using language that the patient and family fully understand.

The Glanis Patient Communication Center will focus on building the student doctors’ skills in interacting and communicating with the patient with the use of effective audio / video tools and standardized patients.

The center will also be equipped with specialized communication technology tools exposing the student to different real-life clinical scenarios. Students trained at the center will learn to communicate effectively with patients & their families leading to enhanced patient satisfaction and improved clinical outcomes.