ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses known communicative skills, and aims to expand them by interweaving concepts, proficiencies, and body of knowledge. It argues that integrating some issues can upgrade doctor-patient communication in clinical practice. Doctor- patient communication constitutes an integral part of any medical encounter. It has an extensive impact on the course of the encounter and the effectiveness of the treatment. The medical interview provides the context for taking the patient’s history, collecting relevant biopsychosocial information regarding the problem and reaching understanding of the patient’s experience and agenda. Doctor-patient communication is an interactive discourse between minds and bodies, wherein simultaneously with the exchange on the verbal level, both patients and doctors influence each other’s affect, arousal, and body language. Active listening is an important communication skill for gaining relevant information regarding our patients’ medical condition, understanding their experience, giving them permission to speak, and acknowledging their suffering.
