Accent Reduction For Medical Professionals

Increasingly, large numbers of physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals practicing in the United States are graduates of foreign medical schools and speak English as their second language. Although these professionals are highly intelligent people, and may have excellent training and comprehension of English, their speech may be difficult for patients and co-workers to understand, due to a strong accent.

Some potential situations where mis-communication may occur are when:

• Making diagnoses
• Providing patients with instructions for taking prescriptions and follow-up care
• Giving directions to colleagues and staff
• Making presentations
• Building rapport with patients

When patients clearly understand health care providers, it fosters confidence in the practitioner, the treatment, and the institution. Additionally, because doctors are usually pressed for time during appointments, they may not have time to repeat themselves. If the patients did not understand what was said to them the first time, they may become frustrated and intimidated, so they stop trying to understand or to ask more questions. The patient may then make repeated calls to clarify information, utilizing more staff and physician time.

With clear communication, time is used efficiently.

What Doctors Wish Their Patients Knew

In the latest issue of Consumer Reports there is an article titled, “What doctors wish their patients knew” in which they listed things like courtesy and respect, following through on a doctor’s prescriptions, forming a long-term relationship, etc. From a patient’s point of view, what they would like their doctor to know is that being able to understand what is said to them is extremely important if the doctor wants greater cooperation and participation.

By reducing foreign accents so that speech is more intelligible, better communication can result. This can enhance confidence between patients and medical professionals, mistakes and misunderstandings may be reduced, and more effective and efficient communication may take place.

Benefits of Accent Reduction for Medical Professionals

In a medical setting, clear communication is critical, not only to prevent serious mistakes but also to ensure that patients and staff are able to understand each other. Accent Reduction for medical professionals has many benefits, including:

• Better communication between patients, colleagues, and staff.
• Elimination of mistakes arising from misunderstandings with regard to treatment, dosages, and instructions.
• Enhanced confidence between patient and professional.
• More efficient use of time when patients do not have to ask for information to be repeated.
• More effective presentations in meetings.

Is my Accent Modification program right for you? Find out here! I’ll create a customized individual learning program for you based on the analysis of your speech. Let’s work together to improve your pronunciation of English words to make you better understood by your peers.

About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist

I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you!