According to the Healthy People 2020 initiative, communication’s role seeks to: support shared decision-making between patients and providers, build social support networks, deliver accurate, accessible, and actionable health information that is targeted or tailored, facilitate the meaningful use and exchange of health information among health care and public health professionals, increase health literacy skills and provide sound principles in the design of programs and interventions that result in healthier behaviors (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2015). The website also notes that proper health communication between provider and patient has the potential to improve health care quality and safety, increase the efficiency of health care and public health service delivery, improve the public health information infrastructure, support care in the community and at home, facilitate clinical and consumer decision-making and build patients health skills and knowledge (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2015). Good communication between provider and patient has the ability to eliminate health disparity related constraints that limit health care access, treatment and positive…
