Communication in healthcare is complex in

comparison with its other industry counterparts.

This is because all healthcare organisations,
including hospitals, employ workforce with diverse
nature and culture and have unique internal
structures of their own. Additionally, hospital staffs
work in multiple roles, durations and care-units
amidst chaos and uncertainty of healthcare
requirements.

Internal Communication(IC) in hospitals is a holistic

approach to communicate and it is designed by the
Hospital Human Resource (HR) Management which
encompasses all its’ departments. The objective of
this communication is to create a common
consistent platform for information exchange
hospital-wide.

Effective internal communication is vital because

hospitals deal with human lives directly. This
significantly impacts medical decision making
leading to life or death situations.
Internal Communication Technologies Used In
Hospitals
Communication has to be done with the systemic
approach and strategic planning for delivering
quality care. Healthcare Consulting Firms (HCF) can
help in making optimal use of knowledge and
experience generated in the hospital for better
communication. This produces best patient
outcomes and increases hospital revenues and
reputation.

Most hospitals use Hospital Information

System (HIS) with digitised records for storing,
maintaining and retrieving patient information and
also administrative/operational data. The widely
used internal communication technologies include-

• Electronic Dashboards

• Mobile Computing

• Electronic Health Records(EHR)

• Digital Voice Communication

• Hospital Intranet and Emails

• Handheld Wireless Devices

• Digital Radiography
Challenges Faced
• Risks in Patient Safety due to

◦ Gaps in timely availability of patient

information
◦ Real-time difficulties in contacting medical
staff immediately

◦ Unclear verbal commands

◦ Misinterpretations in executing physician’s

instructions

◦ Overlooking changes in health status

• Absence of collaboration between hospital

staff including physicians, nurses,
technicians,
Insurance And Administrative Personnel Leading To
Failure In Understanding Goal Of Care For Each
Patient
• Difficulties faced by hospital employees in
keeping pace with technology
developments and innovations in healthcare
communications causing high attrition
rates

• Lack of consolidated and comprehensive view

of internal information creating confusion
with multiple lists and call schedules of
physicians and other medical staff

• Need for adherence to regulatory and

compliance issues in hospital
communication mechanisms which could be
 independent of specific technologies used
5 Ways To Enhance The Internal Communication In
Hospitals
• Fostering an environment that encourages
and promotes better collaboration and
teamwork of hospital staff- This helps in
collective decision making rather than taking
individual calls which is detrimental to
patient care. Consolidated information makes
hospital staff aware of their roles and
responsibilities. It also enhances employee
engagement and productivity.

• Developing a seamless and integrated

information system – By doing this, critical
information may be accurately
communicated to the authorised staff
involved in patient care. For example,
diagnostic test results and contact details of
patients may be instantly conveyed to
physicians to expedite faster treatment.
Likewise, they may be alerted on patient
admissions or health emergencies. This
creates a seamless, consistent experience for
the patient and ensures high-quality care.
• Constantly reviewing and updating the
hospital policies and terms – For handling
new healthcare regulations, enhanced
accreditation requirements or internal
process modifications, this is necessary. Clear
internal communication to employees
ensures that required changes are quickly
and consistently implemented across the
hospital.

• Equipping hospital staff with adequate

skill sets and training – It is important that
every employee is able to fully understand
and utilize the hospital communication
system. This calls for sufficient training and
repeated practice on communication aspects
and also on technology advancements. Thus
fear of failures and resistance to change is
overcome.

• Using strategic top management driven

approach for clarity – By clearly
communicating goals and expectations,
hospital managers and administrators can
help employees understand and work
towards them. This may be enabled through
periodic memos, emails, meetings and policy
manuals.