Various Communication Kelly Downs
HCS/320
October 31, 2011
Sandra Anderson

Various Communication Channels
This presentation of various communication channels will consist of three variable structures of communication. Hospital communication, Nursing home communication, and Security communication are these structures. The channels of communication for a hospital from the admission process, handling the health of patient care, to discharging a patient to their home or rehabilitation center has a focal point of verbal communication added with electronic medical records. The communication channels of a nursing home are displayed in this paper as a chain of command point of view. The security aspect of communication has advantages in written and verbal styles. Allowing the combinations of these channels to intertwine within health care in most organizations and their offices, shows the room for improvement in their written and verbal communication skills.
Hospital Communication
During the admission process of a patient, there is a communication channel between the hospitalist and the primary care physician, PCP. The patient has to give consent to contact their primary care physician. There is a difference in patient care between hospitals and ambulatory care appointments. The hospitalist has a team of medical staff to work with while the PCP has a few nurses that will assist the physician during a patient’s office visit. As part of this medical team, one to the first questions I ask to a nurse is which physicians does this case belong to and does he or she have a pulmonologist? This communication channel assists me in providing care under the protocol guidelines or the aspects of contacting the physician continually about any patient status changes. The internal communication channels are checked on a continuous basis through verbal reports by the medical staff and by updating the computer system with important information that entails the patient’s parameters, vitals, history, assessment, plans, and progress reports from the physician and the medical staff.
This leads to the communication channel of discharging a patient. This is essential for a patient’s continuity of care by keeping colleagues well informed when sharing patients (Le Doarse, Banerjee, & Oldfield, 2009). To reciprocate the information between the two practitioners, legibility of information is an important factor for a successful channel. This is a difficult process to achieve because most orders are hand written. These handwritten discharge summaries will contain less information pertinent to the patients’ care as compared to the electronic summary information. The electronic summary will contain reasons for changes to medicines and any new investigations that the general practitioner will need to assess and treat accordingly (Le Doarse, Banerjee, & Oldfield, 2009). The experimental process of electronic medical records is called NHS-wide software. This software will help with admission information and it will provide external discharge information between the hospitalists and general practitioners.
Nursing Home Management and Communication
The main goal in Nursing Home management and staff is to create quality of life that fulfills the needs of the residents. The many avenues of communication start with the owner, regional directors, administrator, and department heads to the remaining staff. The intricate duty of each staff member has protocols that must be adhered to in reporting any changes in the resident’s condition. The MDS coordinator and Assistant Director of nursing present this information to department heads in a morning meeting so that a plan can be designed. This design is validated by charting the resident’s change in condition or care and it is reflected in the residents’ care plan or their MDS. The MDS reflects the care and reimbursement of treatments and care received during a resident’s stay.
The chain of command starts with the immediate supervisor, then the Administrator to the Regional director if a solution can not be found. If this chain of communication is not satisfying, then contact the corporate office. Communication is a two-way process followed by each employee and department head that has an open door policy for employees to speak with his or her immediate supervisor or Administrator. If the chain of command is broken and an employee goes straight to the top of the chain a meeting is called so that all individuals involved can be present to resolve the issues at hand. A happy and cheerful work environment is a pleasant place to work and live. This is the resident’s home, and it must be maintained as a home.
Security Communications In security communication channels are as important as they are in law enforcement or any other type of organization; in security your main objective is to perform your duties to the best of your abilities in order to please the client. A security officer’s main job is to observe and report, therefore in security written reports are very important. Written communication is important and an understanding of the English language and basic grammar is a necessity in security. Unfortunately, administrators of colleges, and universities, assume that all students can write at a basic, understandable level. Specific English grammar courses may be required in various institutions, but, like any learned ability, unless writing is practiced, the skill achieved soon lapses. (ebook Ch.1 the need for effective communication). Face-to-face communication is what is usually done in security, being able to communicate with each other face-to-face is what usually takes place in a security setting; getting your message across to your co-worker is a must even if there are language barriers. In security there are many different cultures and races and an effective communication practice is a must. Communication involves both oral and written methods. Security personnel must be proficient in both forms of communication. Security officers must be able to communicate effectively within their agency and outside the agency and to the client that they serve. Both forms of communication are critical to a well-functioning security agency.
Comparison

By looking at these organizations side-by-side, they reveal that they are not different. The Hospital, Nursing, and Security provider use written and verbal communication as an important link between employees, supervisors, coworkers, customers, and patients. Hospitals and Nursing homes use written communication in order to give doctors and patients health information. Security usually sticks to email and the internet to disseminate information and advertise the services that they offer. These organizations are different, but every organization communicates in the manner that is most effective for them, and to get their work done effectively.
Improvements
There are ways to improve our communication. Reviewing written communications can ensure that the information is accurate and appropriate. This will prevent misunderstandings from the written text when it is read. The reader needs to understand a clear tone to the document to understand the context of the information and truly understand it. Employees need to document important customer and patient information, both electronically and handwritten, depending on the office format. Good documentation of this important information saves everyone time and money.
Conclusion TIP: Always include a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the paper. Check with your instructor regarding the preference for the inclusion of a Conclusion heading.

In conclusion, “Communication is the foundation of all relationships, whether it occurs within our families, with friends or at work. How we communicate directly relates to the quality of an experience or relationship” (Communication is Key, 2005). An organization could crumble without good communication. We all use communication every day, even if it is symbolic or through body language, rather than written or verbal communication. A patient or customer's first impression of a company can be formed by the communication that they take part in when they interact with an organization. Associates who are well trained in how to use communication to do their jobs will help to ensure that a customer or patient's experience is positive, and the positive impressions of a patient and customer can reap rewards for an organization.

References
Bell, C.M., Schnipper, J.L., & Auerbach, A.D. (2009, March/Spring). Association of Communication Between Hospital-based Physicians and Primary Care Providers with Patient Outcomes. JOURNAL of GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE, 24(3), p381-386. doi: 10.1007/s11606-008-0882-8
Collins, K., (2009). Exploring Business. Teamwork and Communication: Chapter 8. Retrieved from http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/node/28108#web-28108
Harvey Wallace J.D., Cliff Roberson L.L.M (2009). The Need for Effective Communication, Chapter 1. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix eBook collection. Hurd, G (November 2005). Communication is Key. Total Health, 27(5), 53-54. Retrieved on October 27, 2011 from http://web.ebscohost.com
Le Doarse, K., Banerjee, D., & Oldfield, M. (2009). Written Communication Between General Practitioners and Hospitalists, an Analysis. THE WEST LONDON MEDICAL JOURNAL, 1(3), pp 67-75. EBSCOhost.
Pre, A. d., (2005). Communication About health: Current Issues and Perspectives, 2nd edition. Communication in Health Organizations, Chapter 9. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix eBook collection.