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The 5 Cs of Communication in Healthcare

If you’re a healthcare provider, it’s critical to communicate well with patients. This means providing information that patients can understand and use.

Why does clear healthcare communication matter?

Communicating well with patients benefits you, your patients, and your employer. It results in:

  • Better patient self-management, which leads to better health outcomes. 

  • Better use of healthcare services, which leads to more efficient, less costly healthcare. 

  • Higher patient satisfaction.

  • Higher rewards from value-based programs for you and your employer. 

  • Fewer legal problems for you and your employer.

Use the 5 Cs

Ready to step up your game as a communicator? Just remember the 5 Cs of Communication in Healthcare:

  1. Caring

  2. Customized

  3. Clear

  4. Concise

  5. Correct

Let’s take a closer look at the 5 Cs.

1. Communication should be caring

Showing that you care about patients helps them trust you. Winning patients’ trust encourages them to share information about their health, ask questions, and get engaged in their care. Here are some ways to show empathy.

Be kind and friendly

Show that you care. Speak in a warm tone of voice. Also, smile and make eye contact (if appropriate).

Treat patients with respect

Likewise, treat patients with respect. Avoid making assumptions about them. Instead, treat each patient as an individual with unique needs.

Encourage questions

Another way to show you care: Encourage patients to ask questions. Say something like: “What questions do you have for me today?”

Be a good listener

In addition, be a good listener. When the patient speaks, pay attention, and don’t interrupt.

2. Communication should be customized

Good communication is tailored communication. This means using a flexible approach that responds to each patient’s communication needs and preferences.

Support each patient’s communication needs

Meet the communication needs of patients who don’t speak, read, or write English very well (patients with limited English proficiency). For instance, they may need a healthcare interpreter (someone trained to convert health information from one language into another). They may also need materials written in their best language.

Likewise, support the communication needs of patients with disabilities and other challenges that make it harder to communicate. For instance, patients who have trouble seeing may communicate best with spoken communication. If they use written communication, they may need braille, large print, or digital information that they can enlarge on a screen.

Support each patient’s communication preferences

Patients often learn better when you share information in several ways (not just talking). So offer patients a few options. You can offer:

  • Written materials, such as handouts, websites, and notes.

  • Visual aids, such as videos, pictures, and models.

  • Demonstrations, such as showing how to use an inhaler.  

Then ask patients which options they prefer. For instance, a patient who is newly diagnosed with diabetes may want a brochure on nutrition and a video on how to check their blood sugar.

3. Communication should be clear

Health information can be complex, so present it as clearly as possible. Here are some ways to provide clarity.

Introduce and summarize

Start by stating what you’ll be covering during the visit, and close by giving a summary of key points.

Organize information

Put information in a logical order, starting with the most important points.

Take your time

Speak slowly enough for patients to digest what you’re saying. Pause from time to time.

Give action steps

Tell patients clearly what you want them to do.

Use plain language

Use simple, everyday words. Avoid using unusual words, medical jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations. If you must use a challenging word, tell patients what it means.

Use teach-back

Use teach-back near the end of the visit to make sure you communicated clearly. Teach-back is a test of you — not your patient.

Teach-back has three steps:

  1. Explain the information.

  2. Check for understanding.

  3. Explain the information more clearly, if needed.

Use examples and stories

In addition, think about using examples and stories. These help patients understand tough concepts. Plus, they help engage patients.

4. Communication should be concise

Limit how much health information you provide at each visit. Too much content can be hard for patients to absorb. Instead, focus on the key things you want patients to know. Document what you’ve discussed so you can pick up the discussion at the next visit.

5. Communication should be correct

Finally, always provide health information that is accurate and up to date. Use reliable sources. If you don’t know the answer to a patient’s question, tell them you’ll find out. Then get back to them in a timely manner. Or refer the patient to a provider with the required knowledge.

Remember the 5 Cs

Using the 5 Cs at each visit will help you provide information that patients can understand and use.



We extend our sincere gratitude to Carolyn Cutilli and Sophia Wong, for their invaluable peer review and expert feedback, which significantly contributed to the enhancement of this article.


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