Medical assistants spend a great deal of time interacting with patients, so it’s important that they create a comfortable and trusting atmosphere. Completing the Medical Assistant training program at Prism Career Institute can help aspiring medical assistants enhance their patient relationship management skills. Offered at our campuses in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this program teaches patient interaction techniques and how to build trust with your patients. Here, we discuss some of the ways that medical assistants can create a trusting relationship with their patients.
The Importance of Trust in the Patient-Medical Assistant Relationship
Trust is important in any relationship, but especially between medical staff and patients. Patients must be honest about their health issues and be comfortable asking questions to get proper treatment, so they need to be able to trust their medical team, including the medical assistants. When a patient comes to a medical appointment, medical assistants are one of the first people they interact with. Medical assistants are the ones who take vitals, record health history, prepare patients for procedures, and more.
It’s especially important to establish trust with patients during these interactions because many can feel overwhelmed, anxious, or scared during medical appointments. By making the patient feel comfortable and at ease, it’s easier for them to trust the medical assistant and relax during their appointments. It also helps medical assistants to perform their duties more efficiently and effectively.
Building trust with patients is also a part of patient relationship management, which are strategies that help enhance patient care and their relationships with their healthcare team. This can lead to a better experience overall and improve their chance of returning to the facility.
Ways for Medical Assistants to Build Trust With Patients
When it comes to building trust with patients, one of the most important skills is interactive communication, which involves actively listening and communicating answers clearly. This is essential for providing effective medical care. Some ways for medical assistants to enhance their communication and build trust with patients include:
- Having a friendly and empathetic tone
- Keeping body language positive (making eye contact, smiling, nodding, not crossing arms, etc.)
- Projecting calmness and confidence
- Making small talk to increase comfort
- Listening fully and providing complete attention to patients
- Speaking slowly and clearly
- Asking open-ended questions and attentively listening to answers
- Answering any questions or concerns patients may have
- Refraining from making judgments or criticisms
Medical assistants should also adjust these techniques with individual patients for the best results. Some patients may be older and need short, clear-cut responses, while others may be anxious and appreciate more small talk and a comforting tone. When medical assistants take these responsibilities seriously, they connect with patients, build trusting relationships, and promote excellence at their respective healthcare facilities.
About Prism Career Institute’s Medical Assistant Program
The medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute helps prepare students to become successful medical assistants by teaching them the skills they need to succeed. Through both in-classroom instruction and hands-on training in an externship, students learn essential topics for medical assistant careers. Some of the topics that students will learn regarding building patient trust and enhancing patient relationships include how to:
- Function within the ethical, legal, and professional standards of medical assisting and associated medical office requirements
- Use effective skills in communication with clients and in collaboration with members of the healthcare team to provide culturally sensitive services
- Demonstrate behaviors that reflect a pattern of personal and professional responsibility, accountability, self-development, and life-long learning
Students also learn skills for direct patient care, clinical procedures, administrative duties, and more. Class sizes are small to allow for individualized attention. The program runs for 40 weeks and provides a well-rounded education. To learn more, you can read through our course catalog.
Why Choose Prism Career Institute?
If you’re choosing between different medical assistant programs, there are several reasons to decide on Prism Career Institute. Our programs are run by dedicated instructors who are passionate about seeing their students succeed. This dedication to student success doesn’t stop in the classroom—we have a Career Services department that is standing by to help students prepare their resumes, rehearse for interviews, find potential job opportunities, and more. We’re also proud to offer affordable tuition rates and financial aid opportunities for qualified students.
Enhance Patient Relationship Management Skills with Our Medical Assistant Program
Establishing trust with patients as a medical assistant is of utmost importance, and the ability to do so begins with training in an accredited medical assistant program. Attending the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute is a great way to prepare for success in your career. To learn more about the program or admission requirements, contact us at Prism Career Institute today.