In everyday healthcare, good communication is not a luxury, but the foundation of effective treatment. For people with hearing impairments, the information barrier is sometimes as serious as the disease itself. In an era of humanised medicine, the question of how to create a space where every patient, regardless of sensory limitations, feels safe, understood and treated with care is of particular importance.
Hearing disorders
Not every communication difficulty means hearing loss in the classic sense. For people with APD, or auditory processing disorder, the problem is not in the ear, but in the brain. Sounds are perceived correctly, but their interpretation fails. Patients with this disorder often hear, but do not always understand. They find it particularly difficult to function in noise, fast-paced speech or complex messages. And this is, after all, an everyday occurrence in many medical facilities.
APD most commonly affects children, but also occurs in adults, especially those with other cognitive difficulties. It is a complex problem that is still sometimes underestimated, and its effects can significantly impede functioning in the healthcare system.
Are we really listening? Communication is more than words
Good communication is not only about talking, but also about attentive listening, clarity of message and respect. Humanising medicine means abandoning the 'doctor speaks - patient listens' model. It is about a relationship in which both parties are partners.
For people with hearing impairments, this means concrete actions: making eye contact, speaking clearly and calmly, avoiding speaking from behind a mask, supporting with gesture, recording, images. Even the smallest details, such as reducing noise in the recording or hanging pictograms, can make a difference.
Bad communication can be discouraging, create anxiety and lead to misunderstandings. Good ones, even in difficult conversations, build trust, increase the chance of successful treatment and help the patient to feel that they are truly 'cared for'.
Solutions that really work
Improving communication with people with hearing impairments is not only a matter of goodwill, but also concrete tools that already exist. All that is needed is to implement them:
- Videotranslators PJM available in outlets or via apps.
- Written information material when discharging, diagnosing or communicating recommendations.
- Training of medical staff on assistive communication, the basics of sign language and recognising the symptoms of APD.
- Pictograms, lettering and visual boards to facilitate orientation in the facility.
- Online forms enabling specific communication needs to be notified in advance.
Such solutions are not at all costly. Often all it takes is willingness, awareness and a small organisational change.
Equality in treatment starts with a conversation
Humanising medicine is not about special treatment, but about eliminating barriers. People with hearing impairments do not expect privileges, but the right to information, understanding and safety. Just like any patient.
An empathetic doctor who will look you in the eye and speak calmly. A receptionist who will write down a name instead of repeating it over and over in a noise. The nurse who will point to a place in the picture. This is the humanisation of medicine.