Communication, at its simplest, is the act of transferring information from one place to another.

It may be
vocally (using voice), written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines, websites or emails),
visually (using logos, maps, charts or graphs) or non-verbally (using body language, gestures and the tone
and pitch of voice). In practice, it is often a combination of several of these.
Communication means transferring thoughts, information, emotion and ideas through gesture, voice,
symbols, signs and expressions from one person to another
Communication is a two-way process wherein the message in the form of ideas, thoughts, feelings,
opinions is transmitted between two or more persons with the intent of creating a shared understanding.

The term communication is derived from the Latin word “Communis” which means to share.
Communication is said to be effective when the message conveyed by the sender is understood by the
receiver in exactly the same way as it was intended.

Communication is a two way process. It can be formal or informal.

There are 2 basic types of communications:

 Verbal Communication
 Non-Verbal Communication

Verbal Communication
When communication happens through verbally, vocally or through written words which express or convey
the message to other person, it is called verbal communication.
Example: Baby crying (vocal) is verbal communication which express the hungry or pain through vocally.

Verbal communication has two types

A. Oral Communication
B. Written Communication

 A. Oral Communication: A communication which happens through word of mouth, spoken words,
conversations and also when any messages or information are shared or exchanged between one
another through speech or word of mouth, it is called oral communication. Example: Public speech,
News reading, Television, Radio, telephone and mobile conversations.

 B. Written Communication: when communication happens through any word written or a written sign
which is used in any medium, it is called written communication. Example: Simply any hand written,
typed or printed word or documents, letters, books, newspaper and magazines.

 Non-Verbal Communication: Any communication without word of mouth, spoken words,

conversation and written languages are called Non-Verbal Communication. It happens through signs,
symbols, colours, gestures, body language or any facial expressions are known as nonverbal
communication. Traffic signals are one of the best examples for nonverbal communication.
 Communication Process

Communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the sender who then
transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the feedback in the form of
some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there are seven major elements of
communication process:

1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has
conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others.
2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or non-verbal
methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The
sender’s knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success
of the message.
3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey. The
message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or
any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver.
4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey his
message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and correctly
interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships between the
sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound,
gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.
5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to
comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The degree
to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience,
trust and relationship with the sender.
6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to understand it in the best
possible manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the message in
exactly the same way as it was intended by the sender.
7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received the
message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the
communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. The response of the receiver
can be verbal or non-verbal.
Note: The Noise shows the barriers in communications. There are chances when the message sent by the
sender is not received by the recipient.

BARRIES IN COMMUNICATION
Communication barriers are interferences or obstacles which affects not only the transmission of idea or
information but also the understanding and acceptance of it. It has an effect on entirely preventing
communication, filtering part of it, or giving it an incorrect meaning.
These various barriers of communication block or interfere with the message that someone is trying to
send. There are numerous barriers to effective communication that can come in the way. It happens
because the message sent by the sender might not be understood exactly as it is meant to be. It can get
distorted during the communication exchange. These different types of communication barriers can come
at any stage in the process of communication. It can come because of the bias or stereotyping and
generalization that exists in the workplace or in relationships.

Common Barriers to Effective Communication

A skilled communicator needs to have information about the different types of barriers to effective
communication and try to prevent them. These barriers to effective communication can be overcome by
active listening, reflection, etc. The communicator must seek feedback from the receiver of the information
to check if the message was understood in its true sense. Listed below are some of the common barriers to
effective communication.
 1. Using Jargon:
If one uses unfamiliar terms or over-complicated technical terms, it could not be understood well.

2. Lack of Attention or Interest:

If the message is irrelevant to the receiver or there are distractions around (like others speaking at
the same time) then the message might not be communicated properly.

3. Perception Difference:
If two people see things differently, then their viewpoints might come in the way of deciphering the
message correctly.

4. Physical Disabilities:
If the receiver has hearing problems, or the speaker has speech disabilities, then communication
will not be effective. It will distort the message.

5. Emotional Barriers:
Sensitive topics make it difficult for the speaker or the receiver to engage properly in the
communication exchange. It could also be that some people are not comfortable expressing
themselves; hence their words might not reflect the true meaning of what they want to convey.
Topics that may be taboo or off-limits for some people are politics, religion, mental or physical
disabilities, racism, sexuality, and any other unpopular options.

6. The Difference in Culture:

Social interactions have different norms in different cultures. For example, the idea of space exists
in some cultures and social settings but not in the same form in others. These cultural differences
could prevent effective communication.

7. Physical Barriers to Communication:

A face-to-face communication has a lot of parts to the communication than just the words. Facial
expressions, body language, gestures, etc. are also involved in the whole communication process.
If you can’t see the person, then some messages might get lost. Text messages, phone calls, etc.
are some of the technological ways of communicating which lack the effect of a personal meeting.

8. Language Difference:
The difference in dialects of different regions or unfamiliar accents can make it difficult to
understand the message sent.

9. Prejudices:
Most people have preconceived notions about many things; hence they hear only what they want
to listen to, not what is being said. These false assumptions and stereotyping lead to barriers in
communication.
10. INFORMATION OVERLOAD AND LACK OF FOCUS
Too much information can confuse your audience and even make them wonder if you’re overwhelming
them with details to avoid telling them something else they would rather know
How to Overcome Barriers to Effective Communication.
Following are the different measures to overcome effective communication:

 Ideas should be clear before Communication.

The person sending the message should have clear ideas in his mind about what he wants to
convey. He should know the objective of the message and accordingly, he should arrange his
thoughts in a systematized way.

 Sender should communicate according to the receiver’s needs.

The sender should frame the structure of the message not according to his own level or ability but
should keep in mind the level, understanding, and environment of the receiver.

 Consult Others before Communication.

During Communication planning, suggestions should be invited from all the concerned persons. Its
main benefit is that all those people who are involved in the communication planning will contribute
to the success of the communication system.

 Be Aware of the Tone, Content, and Language of the Message.

The sender should consider that the message should be transmitted in a clear, precise, and easy
language. The tone of the message should not hurt the feeling of the receiver. Hence, try to
formulate the content of the message in brief and ensure to avoid technical words.

 Convey Things that is Helpful to Listener.

The content of the message should be helpful and valuable to the receiver. The need and interest
of the receiver should be kept in mind before communicating. Communication becomes more
effective in such situations.

 Ensure to getting Proper Feedback.

The aim of getting feedback is to find whether the receiver has properly understood the meaning of
the message received. While communicating face to face, the reaction on the face of the receiver
can be easily understood.

 Message should be Consistent.

The message sent to the receiver should not be inconsistent. The information transferred should
be in accordance with the objective, programs, policies, and techniques of the organization. When
a new message is sent in place of the old message, a sender should always mention it as it will
create confusion.

 Follow Up Communication.
To make the communication effective, the manager should attempt to know the weakness of the
communication system. In this condition, effort should be made to know whether it is appropriate to
focus more on formal communication or informal communication.

 Be a Good Listener.
Both sender and receiver must be good listeners in the communication process. Both should
understand each other's points of view with patience, attention, and a positive attitude. A receiver
can receive much relevant information if he is a good listener.
IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN HEALTH CARE SETTINGS
Effective communication is of the utmost importance when delivering healthcare.
There are multiple components to effective communication in a healthcare setting: healthcare literacy,
cultural competency and language barriers. If any one of these components is compromised, effective
communication does not occur. Effective communication is bidirectional between patients and healthcare
systems. If either the patient or health care provider lacks clear understanding and purpose of the
information conveyed, there will be ineffective communication and the delivery of care will be compromised.

Workers of varying skillsets are within the healthcare setting and they must communicate clearly with each
other to best coordinate care delivery to patients. Some of these skillsets can be very different. For
example, the role of a physician is very different from the role of an occupational therapist. However, both
must communicate clearly with each other to ensure that appropriate care recommendations are met.

1. Patients need to be able to convey information about their health complaints to healthcare workers.
2. Healthcare workers must be able to adequately comprehend and interpret the information in order to
treat health complaints appropriately.
3. In order to decrease the risk of health complaints from recurring, healthcare workers must convey
adequate information to patients to help them take preventative measures in order to maintain their
health.

Ineffective communication in healthcare system can lead to the following:

 Increases the likelihood of Negative patient outcomes.

 It also increases patient utilization of inpatient and emergency care.
 Increases the burden of cost on healthcare systems.
 The quality of healthcare would be impaired.
 Healthcare costs on the patient will increase
 Lack of comprehension of the patient’s concerns. The most likely scenario where this would arise
is when taking the history of present illness (HPI) from the patient.
 Disrupts patients’ comprehension of healthcare matters

General strategies for clear communication include:

1) Giving a warm greeting,
2) Maintaining eye contact,
3) Listening carefully,
4) Being aware of the patient’s body language as well as their own,
5) Speaking slowly and concretely in non-medical language,
6) Using graphics and demonstrations when appropriate and
7) Encouraging patient participation and questions.