Communication in Healthcare: Challenges and International Examples

According to patient experience data collected since 2019 by the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC), communication in Latvian hospitals has remained relatively stable over the past five years. Around 70% of patients consistently report receiving understandable answers from doctors. However, lower scores appear in areas such as emotional support and medication information. In 2025, only 63% said healthcare professionals helped them overcome fear and anxiety, the lowest since 2020. Only 57% of patients said they were told about the purpose of their medications, and merely 43% received understandable information about possible side effects.

Vita Šteina, director of the Latvian Patient Experience Association (LPPA), notes that communication begins at the first encounter. She stresses that healthcare providers should always introduce themselves by name and role, yet only 57% of surveyed patients reported such introductions. Šteina advocates for greater involvement of nurses and nurse assistants in patient communication, as they are often underutilized. She also recommends mandatory communication training for medical staff, citing evidence that such training yields the best results.

Representatives of the Latvian Association of Physicians and Dentists (LĀZA) shared experiences from the US and Norway. In the US, effective communication is tied to the reputation of healthcare institutions. Information is given in simple, bullet-point written form, avoiding medical jargon. After oncology visits, patients receive a detailed After Visit Summary. Regular patient surveys help identify systemic issues, and individual staff with poor feedback receive confidential coaching. Good patient reviews may lead to bonuses for staff. In Norway, all information is provided both orally and electronically through a health platform, allowing patients to communicate with their family doctor in writing. Norwegian patients are proactive in seeking information, and healthcare facilities are very open to dialogue. However, such digital communication increases workload, often requiring additional nurses to filter and respond to messages.