These free B.Pharm notes on types of communication in healthcare cover chapter 12 of Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills, a first-semester subject. Read the key points below, then study the complete chapter PDF. You can browse every chapter in the Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills category.
Table of Contents
Read the following document for full information
Overview of types of communication in healthcare
This chapter describes the four main types of communication in healthcare: interpersonal, group, mass and telehealth communication. It covers features, problems and tools of each, such as active listening, SBAR, support groups, family conferences, health campaigns, entertainment education and remote consultations, and shows how the types flow into each other.
Key points on types of communication in healthcare
- Interpersonal communication is the two-person, face-to-face interaction that builds the therapeutic alliance, the bond of trust between patient and provider.
- Group communication involves three or more people and uses tools like SBAR and I-PASS at handovers to standardise the exchange of information in the team.
- Closed-loop communication means confirming that a message was received and understood, and psychological safety lets team members challenge authority when patient safety is at risk.
- Mass communication reaches large, scattered audiences through media for health promotion and agenda-setting, and feedback is usually delayed or absent.
- Telehealth uses digital technology for remote care through synchronous video visits, asynchronous portal messaging and remote patient monitoring with wearable devices.
Relevance to pharmacy practice
Pharmacists talk to individual patients, work in healthcare teams, take part in health campaigns and may give advice remotely. Knowing the four types and their problems helps them choose the right approach so that the patient stays the focus despite noise, distance or audience size.
Every chapter in this subject builds on the one before it, so do not skip topics that look simple. Definitions, classifications and examples are the parts that examiners return to most often, and a clear understanding here will also make later subjects easier to follow in the coming semesters.
Frequently asked questions on types of communication in healthcare
What are the types of communication in healthcare?
The four types are interpersonal communication, group communication, mass communication and telehealth communication. Each has its own dynamics, problems and aims, but all share the goal of better health outcomes.
What is SBAR in healthcare communication?
SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation. It is a structured tool used at handovers in healthcare teams to standardise how information is exchanged and to reduce risks.
What is entertainment education?
Entertainment education puts health messages inside popular media such as soap operas. Stories of characters living with HIV, cancer or mental illness raise awareness and reduce stigma without feeling like a lecture.
Quick revision checklist
Use this self-test after reading the chapter on types of communication in healthcare. If you can do all of the following without looking at your notes, you are ready for the exam.
- I can explain: interpersonal communication in healthcare
- I can explain: group communication and the SBAR tool
- I can explain: closed-loop communication in teams
- I can explain: mass communication and health campaigns
- I can explain: telehealth communication and its forms
Study and exam tips
Start by reading the chapter once for the overall idea, then revise types of communication in healthcare using headings, definitions, classifications and examples. Short-answer questions in the university exam usually ask for definitions, features, advantages, disadvantages and examples, so write these in your own words and practise drawing the tables and flow charts that the chapter has.
For wider reading, standard textbooks and open resources such as the NCBI Bookshelf help you confirm terms and see more examples. Revise types of communication in healthcare again a day later and again a week later, because spaced revision improves long-term memory.
This page is part of the Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills series for first-semester B.Pharm students on B.Pharm Guru, where every chapter has a short summary and a full PDF. Bookmark this page and share it with classmates who are preparing for the same exam.
Related notes: 14. ACTIVE LISTENING, QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES AND EMPATHY, 15. CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION.
Previous: 11. ELEMENTS AND MODELS OF COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE. Next: 13. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN CLINICAL SETTINGS. Back to the Healthcare Psychology and Communication Skills category.
