INTRODUCTION: ”Communication is conferring through speech, writing, or nonverbal means (including body language) to create a shared meaning.” (Higgs et al, 2005, p4.). It is a two-way process between patients and doctors where incomprehension is often predominant. The first episode from the first season of Grey's Anatomy {A hard’s day night} is a great example. The clip scene {6:44-7:03} shows George O'Malley new residence doctor, checking a patient’s heart beat and promising him that he would be ok. Unfortunately the patient dies, and George O'Malley was given the responsibility to break the news to the widow. That clip demonstrates how important the patient-doctor communication is. The verbal and non-verbal processes through which a doctor obtains and shares information with a patient, thereby developing a therapeutic relationship. While communication with a patient may seem straightforward and intuitive, an effective patient-doctor interaction can be quite challenging. It is up to the doctor to find out about the patient and their medical issues regardless of how difficult or complex the patient’s history may be or what the patient wants the doctor to tell them concerning their health issues. Only when the doctor understands the patient in his or her own context, can the physician provide good care, and communicate back efficiently to the patients.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: The clip also shows how patient-doctor interactions are influenced by the expectations of both parties, for instance when the doctor has unfair expectations of the patient, or the interaction is affected by bias or unfair judgment, then an effective relationship will never develop. Likewise, if the patient’s expectations of the doctor are not met, the patient will not develop enough trust for the physician to accept his/her suggestions.