When people think about threats to patient safety, most would imagine the wrong medication being prescribed, a missed diagnosis, a technical error. But one of the most common and dangerous risks is far simpler: misunderstood information.
How we deliver results, instructions and advice can be the difference between safe care and serious harm. In a world where so much of this communication now happens digitally, the risks multiply if we don’t get it right.
Why clinical communication is critical
Good communication means more than just passing on information. It’s about building trust. As Dr Matt Balerdi, Consultant Imaging Cardiologist, recently told us:
“For me, it boils down to doing what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.
With that high level of trust and integrity, patients then believe they're getting the care they deserve. Things happen much more rapidly. They feel supported, they feel seen and they feel heard. And that's primarily for me the best way you can make someone feel safe."
As a GP, I could immediately sense when a patient didn’t fully understand my advice. If I said, “Take this medication with food in the morning,” and they looked unsure, I could clarify, explain why it mattered and make sure they left the consultation feeling confident.
"As we advance digital communication in healthcare, our challenge is to harness technology in a way that amplifies understanding, reduces risk, and always puts patient safety first. Because in the end, every message matters."
- Karim Sandid, Clinical Safety Officer, Semble
But with rising patient numbers and appointments feeling more rushed, it’s easier than ever for something to get lost in translation. That’s when mistakes happen. If a patient misunderstands, the consequences can be severe: missed doses, delayed tests, unnecessary anxiety. This is why clear communication isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’. It’s essential for clinical safety.
Despite its importance in so many areas of care, communication is too often overlooked. This can have significant consequences for patients, in more ways than one. In a new Semble survey, we asked patients whether unclear communication had negatively affected their mental health. 61% said yes.
What patients really want
So how do we start to solve this? Well, let’s put our communication skills to the test – we could start by listening to what patients say they want and need.
When we asked patients what matters most for safety, the majority (63%) said the ability to ask questions at any time, closely followed by access to their medical information, details on side effects and reminders for follow-up care.
That tells me something simple: people just want to feel informed and in control.
How your tech can help you communicate effectively
So much of this isn't about a clinician’s ability to communication, but rather whether they have the time and ability to communicate in the way they desire. This is where the right technology makes all the difference, empowering clinicians and putting patient needs at the heart of safety.
Ambient scribes reduce the need for note-taking during consultations, so clinicians have more time to listen, talk and explain. Conversations are automatically summarised into patient-friendly letters and sent out immediately, so patients leave with clear, actionable information including, for example, side effects of new medication and a clear action plan.
Follow-up messaging keeps the door open for questions, turning one-way communication into a dialogue. Clinicians can send additional resources, answer questions, and ensure patients never get lost in the system when it’s time for follow-up. These are also a great time to ask patients to share their thoughts after appointments, which helps clinics continually improve. Their insights are invaluable for refining care and communication.
A patient portal means every result, document and instruction lives in one clear place, so they can revisit information in their own time and feel more confident managing their health.
As Dr Balerdi told us, “There’s been a paradigm shift in terms of what patients want and how we should be approaching them. And if we’re willing as clinicians to have a collaborative approach to making them feel better about everything then we should do it. That improves the trust in me and in my practice.”
Communication is not just about the clinician and the patient. It’s also about seamless collaboration across the wider industry, too. Care rarely happens in isolation. Technology should make it easy to communicate with GPs, specialists and other providers, so nothing gets lost in translation, and patients move smoothly through their care journey.
Designing with patients in mind
Giving instructions is only half the job. The other half is ensuring they’re understood. In person, this is easier; you can check understanding, clarify, and reassure if necessary. Digitally, we need systems that encourage and empower patients to ask questions and seek clarification when they’re unsure, while also safeguarding clinicians’ time and capacity.
Clear, action-focused messages, simple reply options and easy ways for patients to clarify doubts are essential. Because if a patient doesn’t understand, the risk doesn’t disappear. It just grows.
Essentially, every message to a patient is a safety intervention. Clarity isn’t just good communication. It saves lives. And we need our technology to help us explain more, not less.
At the same time, if these opportunities for communication are not well designed or delivered, risks can occur. This is what’s at the heart of clinical safety. Automation can free up valuable clinician time, allowing for more meaningful patient interactions, but it can also introduce new risks if not managed carefully.
That’s why clinical safety is not just about the information we share, but how we share it—balancing the efficiency of automation with the human need for clarity and reassurance. As we advance digital communication in healthcare, our challenge is to harness technology in a way that amplifies understanding, reduces risk, and always puts patient safety first. Because in the end, every message matters.
