Professional medical communication seeks to influence the behavior of health
professionals. Identify and describe an example from the research literature of a health
communication program for motivating behavior change among clinicians or other health
professionals. Why was this an effective strategy? What was the outcome?
Professional Medical Communication
Professional medical communication aids in influencing the behavior change of
medical practitioners and allows for the transference of the same to their patients, thus
improving the quality of care and service provision. It also forms the foundation of a patient-
centered, multidisciplinary, and dimension healthcare team and a source of interactive
learning among peers in the healthcare service provision (Phipps-Taylor & Shortell,
2016).Various strategies have been put in place to motivate behavior change among
cliniciansother healthcare professionals through health communication program. Moreover,
there is the development of information seeking behavior leading to the implementation of
evidence-based practices among the clinicians.
Accountable care organizations (ACO) have used social marketing strategy to
motivate behavior change among the physicians in the network in the provision of services to
patients. The target is to offer financial motivation to reduce the cost of medical care and to
improve the quality of care offered using guidelines, benchmarks and metrics set by the ACO
(Phipps-Taylor & Shortell, 2016). Moreover, there is the motivation to cut the cost of
healthcare for chronic illnesses that account for over 70% of the expenditure. Hence, the
monetary incentives are the motivating factors using social marketing to instill change and
increase the quality of care.
MEDICAL COMMUNICATION 2
The results of the strategy have been an improvement in the quality of care as the
metrics and quality benchmarks are high. There is also a reduction in the cost of treatment for
chronic conditions without compromising the quality of care (Phipps-Taylor & Shortell,
2016). Mastery of clinical medicine through interaction and information sharing among
participating physicians also improves the quality of care provided by the physicians.
Additionally, there is the sustainability of the program as it has influenced an increased
number of physicians to get involved through financial motivation.
MEDICAL COMMUNICATION 3
References
Phipps-Taylor, M., & Shortell, S. M. (2016). More Than Money: Motivating Physician
Behavior Change in Accountable Care Organizations. The Milbank Quarterly, 94(4),
832-861.