Marilyn Ballard on Why Better Communication Can Improve the Healthcare Experience

A doctor’s appointment can be medically routine and still leave a patient wondering what just happened. According to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, doctors interrupt their patients after an average of eleven seconds. Patient experience is already recognized as a measurable component of healthcare quality. CMS’ recent HCAHPS Public Report of hospital experience scores, covering discharges through mid-2025, found a 27-point gap between the strongest category, discharge information and the weakest, quietness on the unit.

Marilyn A. Ballard, who has spent decades teaching and training professionals, believes better communication should begin from the first interaction with a healthcare practice. Her perspective has also been shaped by her own experience navigating healthcare, including situations in which she felt concerns about prescribed medication were not adequately addressed.

“I want the frontline staff to have empathy from the minute you answer the phone. Don’t cut people off,” Ballard says. That advice is particularly relevant because a patient’s experience begins long before a clinician enters the room. A confusing phone call, an appointment request that leaves questions unanswered or information that is misunderstood can make an already stressful healthcare experience harder to navigate.

AHRQ research has identified communication breakdowns as a patient-safety concern, while studies have found that patients often struggle to understand medical information or feel they have enough opportunity to ask questions. Ballard recalls one interaction in which she repeatedly asked an answering service to confirm information because she believed her message was being misunderstood, only to have the call disconnected. For her, the encounter reinforced the importance of listening carefully before making assumptions about what a patient is asking for.

Her recommendation to patients is equally simple: make sure the reason for the appointment is actually discussed. “We need to take a pause in wondering what happened to them,” she says. “To ask, with intent, ‘What brought you here today?’”

Patients, she explains, can apply that principle themselves by arriving prepared to explain what prompted the visit, what symptoms or concerns they have noticed and what they hope to understand by the end of the appointment. Writing down questions beforehand can also make it easier to remember important concerns when time with a clinician is limited.

Understanding the answer matters just as much. If a diagnosis, treatment plan or medication instruction is unclear, Ballard encourages patients to ask for an explanation in language they can follow. According to her, questions such as “What is this medication for?” “How should I take it?” “What should I watch for?” and “What happens next?” can help turn a short consultation into a clearer plan.

The same principle applies when care involves several professionals. Patients seeing multiple doctors, specialists or other healthcare providers may need to keep track of different instructions and appointments. Ballard emphasizes the importance of communication between professionals, but patients can also play an active role by keeping their own medication lists, bringing relevant records and asking whether one provider needs information from another.

Follow-up is another point that she believes can easily be overlooked. According to Ballard, a patient who leaves an appointment with unanswered questions may not necessarily have to wait until the next scheduled visit. Depending on the practice, she believes that calling the office, using a patient portal or asking when and how to follow up could prevent uncertainty from lingering.

Ballard is now developing these ideas through a forthcoming two-hour seminar aimed at administrative support staff, doctors, nurses, dentists and other healthcare professionals. The program focuses on empathy, medication knowledge and communication from the first patient contact onward, with another seminar planned for spring.

Her larger message, however, is useful on both sides of the consultation. Ballard explains that healthcare professionals have a responsibility to listen and communicate clearly, while patients can make their own care easier to navigate by asking questions and making sure they understand the answers.

The next time an appointment feels rushed, Ballard’s approach offers a practical starting point. She says, “Pause, explain what brought you in and ask what you need to know before you leave. Sometimes, a better healthcare experience begins with making sure the right question gets asked.”

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.