27 August 2017, Abu Dhabi: Inspired Results, the UAE’s leading training and coaching company, has launched a program ‘Speak-ology’ to assist healthcare organisations and their practitioners to develop greater interpersonal skills as the industries culturally diverse settings continue to multiply.
According to research, the UAE’s Healthcare industry is expected to experience a growth increase of 60 per cent in the next five years*, with over 4,800 doctors and 13,000 nurses required by 2022**, a high percentage of which are expected to be expatriates with differing cultures, behaviours and linguistics.
According to Dr Oudi, ‘Speak-ology’ Expert and Founder of Inspired Results, an individuals deeply and firmly-fixed cultural roots play a large role in shaping ones values, often dictating how individuals see and understand the world, interact and communicate with their counterparts.
“As the UAE continues to grow, so does its cultural hot pot. People from different cultures often see the world and their workplace environment in completely different ways, which can often result in misunderstandings. This is especially apparent in the healthcare industry between practitioners and their patients.
“It may very well start with a simple language barrier. A word misrepresented, a poor translation, all very common in the UAE where people usually communicate in English even though this is probably not their native language.
“Non-verbal communication also plays an important part in patient-doctor interactions and approaches when communicating a diagnosis or administering treatment may also be very different depending on where one comes from. Some cultures are used to very rational and straightforward procedures. Others might be more comfortable with a little extra sensitivity that goes beyond what is simply required by protocol,” explained Dr Oudi.
“Our ‘Speak-ology’ program has been designed to help practitioners with their interpersonal communication skills. To quickly build rapport and trust with their patients, by becoming more approachable and connecting with confidence and empathy, while taking into consideration cultural differences.
“In aims to help organisations and their doctors, nurses, technicians to better connect to the priorities and values of their patients, positively impact their ability to persuade and inspire them to follow the medical advice or procedure during their hospital journey,” concluded Dr Oudi.
Dr Oudi is working with several leading healthcare organisations and encourages all healthcare management across the UAE to consider the growing impact cross-cultural communication is having on its patients and brand reputation.