What This Blog Post on Poor Communication in Healthcare Covers
- Poor internal communication is a hidden hazard in healthcare, leading to disengaged employees, costly turnover, and compromised patient safety.
- 55% of healthcare workers report burnout, often worsened by unclear messaging, missed updates, and a lack of leadership communication.
- Disengagement shows up in subtle but dangerous ways – like missed handoffs, information silos, and rising absenteeism – all of which weaken team collaboration and care quality.
- Strategic internal communication plans, role-based messaging, inclusive language, and digital tools can dramatically boost employee engagement and reduce preventable errors.
- Involving leadership at every level and enabling two-way communication are key to restoring trust, morale, and mission-driven performance across healthcare teams.
In healthcare, lives are on the line every day, and internal communication isn’t just a “nice-to-have” – it’s a critical lifeline. When messages get lost, updates don’t reach the frontlines, or staff feel left in the dark, the consequences ripple through your organization. Frustration builds, employees disengage, and patient care can suffer. A nationwide study found that 55% of health care workers feel burned out, a situation worsened by stressors like poor communication and lack of support.
Table of contents
- What This Blog Post on Poor Communication in Healthcare Covers
- Why Internal Communication Is Vital in Healthcare
- The Hidden Costs of Poor Communication: Burnout, Turnover & Bad Outcomes
- How Disengagement Manifests in Healthcare Environments
- Best Practices and Solutions for Strategic Internal Communication
- What’s Next
- FAQ
Employees who feel disconnected from their organizations will likely be apathetic about their jobs… If employees are not engaged, they tend to use minimal effort, and ultimately, the organization suffers. Nowhere is this truer than in a hospital or clinic. This blog post explores why ineffective internal communication is a healthcare hazard – fueling employee disengagement, high turnover, burnout and ultimately compromising patient outcomes – and what you can do about it.
Why Internal Communication Is Vital in Healthcare
Clear internal communication in healthcare isn’t just about keeping employees happy – it’s about patient safety. A landmark Joint Commission report found that poor communication during patient handoffs contributed to 80% of serious medical errors. From coordinating surgeries to updating care plans, effective team communication can save lives. When information flows seamlessly – shift reports, critical test results, policy changes – healthcare teams can act swiftly and correctly.
Effective communication also underpins a healthy workplace culture. In the high-stress medical environment, misunderstandings or missing information add extra strain. Conversely, when staff feel informed and heard, it fosters trust, teamwork, and better patient outcomes. Research shows that clear communication not only improves patient safety but also boosts staff job satisfaction and engagement. In short, internal communication is the glue holding together the people, processes, and ultimately the quality of care in your organization.
The Hidden Costs of Poor Communication: Burnout, Turnover & Bad Outcomes
When internal communication falters, problems snowball.
Employee disengagement
Employee disengagement is often the first hidden cost. Gallup research revealed that only 33% of the U.S. workforce was engaged in 2023, while 66% was disengaged. Healthcare is not immune – a recent Press Ganey report showed one in three healthcare workers is not engaged. Disengaged employees become emotionally detached from their work, doing the bare minimum. In a hospital, that might mean a nurse who doesn’t bother to double-check an order because “nobody listens anyway,” or a technician who feels their feedback on faulty equipment falls on deaf ears. Over time, this apathy can erode care quality.
Burnout
Burnout is already at crisis levels in healthcare (over half of healthcare workers report feeling burned out, and poor communication pours fuel on the fire. When vital information is hard to find or leaders fail to convey support, staff feel undervalued and overwhelmed. They may experience greater stress trying to fill in the gaps or fix preventable issues. In turn, burned-out, disengaged staff are more prone to errors, absenteeism, and treating patients brusquely, which can hurt patient satisfaction and outcomes.
“When employees feel out of the loop, they feel undervalued. In industries with high turnover, like healthcare and manufacturing, this is an avoidable risk.”
Brian Egan, Owner at Brian Egan Communications
Turnover
High turnover is another hidden cost of poor internal communication. If employees feel uninformed, unappreciated, or unheard, they won’t stick around. Gallup finds that when communication is bad, it often drives employees to quit. Healthcare has seen this painfully play out: one in five healthcare workers left their jobs in 12 months (Press Ganey). Among new hires with under two years’ tenure, 1 in 4 left within a year. Every departure is costly – financially (the expense of recruiting/training replacements) and operationally (short-staffed units, lost expertise). And turnover creates a vicious cycle: remaining staff face heavier workloads and may grow disengaged themselves, perpetuating the problem.
Patient care
Finally, the ultimate cost is to patient care. Disengagement can quietly degrade quality: missed medication doses, incomplete handoff notes, or a lack of follow-up on patient concerns. Studies indicate a positive correlation between employee engagement and patient safety outcomes. The flip side is that poor engagement (often stemming from poor communication) can undermine safety. Patients may notice when nurses seem checked-out or communication between departments is chaotic – it erodes their trust. In the worst cases, critical signals are missed. For example, if a lab result isn’t communicated due to unclear protocols, a patient’s treatment may be delayed or wrong. The hidden costs become very visible, very quickly.
Poor internal communication doesn’t announce itself with a label, but its effects – burned-out staff, constant turnover, and preventable mistakes – are impossible to ignore. It’s a healthcare hazard lurking behind the scenes. The good news is that by recognizing these warning signs, internal communicators can intervene before the damage is irreversible.
How Disengagement Manifests in Healthcare Environments
Disengagement in healthcare isn’t always obvious at first. It often shows up as subtle behaviors or issues that, taken together, signal a communication breakdown. Here are some key ways disengagement and poor internal communication can manifest on the hospital floor:
- Missed Handoffs and Information Gaps: Critical details “fall through the cracks” during shift changes or between departments. Perhaps a night nurse was never told about a new medication order, or a lab result wasn’t relayed until it was too late. These communication failures can lead to serious errors, and they’re alarmingly common. When staff are disengaged, they may be less diligent about passing along information or double-checking understanding.
- Frequent Errors and Safety Incidents: A spike in medication errors, incorrect procedures, or other safety events can be a red flag. Disengaged employees might not pay close attention to protocols or might hesitate to speak up about potential mistakes. In healthcare, where precision is vital, even small lapses can endanger patients. If the root cause analysis of incidents often points to “communication issues,” disengagement may be an underlying culprit.
- Absenteeism and High Sick Leave: Disengaged, burnt-out staff are more likely to call in sick or show up late. If you notice more call-outs or people using all their sick days, it may reflect low morale and a work environment they feel disconnected from. Absenteeism further strains the remaining team and can lead to rushed or skipped communication as everyone scrambles to cover shifts.
- Staff “Out of the Loop” or Misinformed: Do you hear employees say, “I never heard about that policy change,” or “Nobody told me we were short on beds today”? Feeling uninformed is a hallmark of poor internal communication, and it’s widespread – 74% of employees say they miss out on company news because internal communication is so ineffective. In a hospital, this might mean staff not knowing about new safety protocols, HR initiatives, or even hospital achievements. When people constantly feel out of the loop, they disengage further, assuming their input doesn’t matter.
- Siloed Teams and Duplication of Work: Poor communication often breeds silos – departments or units that hardly talk to each other. You might find two teams unknowingly working on the same project, or a patient’s care team failing to coordinate properly across specialties. These silos can breed frustration (“Why am I just now hearing about this?”) and mistakes. They’re also a sign that internal messaging isn’t promoting a unified vision or collaboration.
- Low Trust and Morale: Perhaps the clearest sign is an intangible one – the vibe in the hospital corridors. Disengagement can show up as staff who are cynical, avoid volunteering for committees, or don’t bother giving feedback because they doubt it will be acted on. You might see cliques or gossip filling the information void where transparent communication should be. When surveys or town halls reveal that employees don’t feel “seen” by the organization (only 45% feel recognized as people, even though 82% say it’s important) (Importance of IC white paper.pdf), it’s a glaring signal of a disconnect. Left unaddressed, this low morale inevitably trickles down to patient interactions.
Recognizing these signs early is crucial. They are symptoms of deeper communication issues that, if fixed, can re-engage your team. Next, we’ll explore how to turn things around with targeted internal communication strategies.
Best Practices and Solutions for Strategic Internal Communication
Improving employee engagement and reducing miscommunication in healthcare starts with a proactive, strategic approach. Organizations that prioritize internal communication benefit from lower turnover, stronger teamwork, and higher patient satisfaction. Here are some proven strategies to strengthen internal communication and build a more connected, informed workplace:
1. Create a Strategic Internal Communication Plan
Internal communication shouldn’t be left to chance. Develop a structured plan with clear goals, roles, and metrics. Start by auditing your current communication channels to identify what’s working and what’s not.
In healthcare, a strong communication plan might include:
- Clear protocols for urgent clinical updates
- Regular CEO updates to staff
- Messages aligned with patient safety goals
Treat internal communication like any clinical protocol – measured, intentional, and consistently executed. Track outcomes such as engagement scores, staff turnover, or medical error rates before and after implementing improvements to show the return on investment.
2. Tailor Communication by Role and Experience
In a hospital, one-size-fits-all communication doesn’t work. Your team includes a wide range of roles – from seasoned physicians to newly hired aides – and each group has different needs.
Customize messaging based on:
- Role (e.g., clinical vs. administrative)
- Department
- Tenure or experience level
For instance, newer staff may benefit from frequent check-ins and mentorship, while experienced clinicians might prefer succinct updates or leadership opportunities. Tailoring content – via segmented newsletters, role-specific updates, or a mobile app – not only avoids information overload but also shows respect for employees’ time and responsibilities. Relevant communication builds engagement and trust.
3. Embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Communication
Inclusive communication supports an inclusive culture. Use language and imagery that reflect your diverse staff and patient base. Make sure information is accessible to everyone, for example, by translating key messages or offering alternative formats for accessibility.
Why it matters:
- Employees who believe their company values diversity are 84% more engaged
- Those who don’t feel this way are 3.3 times more likely to leave within a year.
In practice, DEI-focused communication might involve:
- Celebrating cultural holidays
- Ensuring all staff levels have a voice in meetings
- Offering safe channels for underrepresented groups to share feedback
When people feel seen and respected, they’re more likely to invest in their work and their patients.
4. Use Digital Tools to Reach Frontline Workers
Most healthcare staff aren’t sitting at desks checking emails. In fact, 80% of the global workforce is now “deskless”. To reach them, adopt mobile-friendly communication tools like:
- Employee apps
- Secure messaging platforms
- SMS alerts for urgent updates
- Digital signage in break rooms
- Mobile-accessible intranets
These tools make communication more accessible and more inclusive. Just as important: make it two-way. Add feedback forms or quick surveys so staff can report issues or share ideas in real time. For example, if a scheduling tool isn’t working, employees should be able to flag it quickly through a digital channel. Tools alone aren’t enough – but paired with a clear strategy, they’re powerful drivers of engagement.
5. Engage Leadership at Every Level
When leaders communicate well, employees feel more informed, valued, and motivated. But if leadership is silent or inaccessible, disengagement spreads quickly. That’s why communication needs to be a leadership priority – from the C-suite to frontline supervisors.
Effective strategies include:
- Weekly CEO updates highlighting wins and key info
- Department huddles or team standups
- Open-door policies (virtual or physical)
- Leadership shadowing or town halls for Q&A
Also, invest in communication training. Not every manager is a natural communicator, but skills like active listening, giving recognition, and clearly communicating changes can be learned. Empower leaders to act on employee feedback—whether it’s fixing a glitchy EMR or explaining a policy change. When leaders are visible, responsive, and approachable, they foster a culture of trust and engagement.
By implementing these best practices – a clear strategy, tailored messaging, DEI support, modern tools, and engaged leadership – healthcare organizations can transform internal communication from a pain point into a strength. The result? Employees who feel valued and informed, who bring energy and care to their work, and ultimately, better experiences for patients.
Remember: Improving internal communication is an ongoing process, not a one-time project. Solicit feedback, track engagement indicators, and refine your approach as your workforce and technology evolve. Even small steps, like a new shift handoff template or a monthly “CEO video update,” can start to rebuild connection and trust.
When internal communication is firing on all cylinders, employees aren’t just punching the clock – they’re engaged, aligned with the hospital’s mission, and working together to provide top-notch patient care. That’s the kind of win-win situation every internal communicator strives for.
What’s Next
Poor internal communication may be an invisible threat, but its impacts on engagement and patient care are very real. The hidden costs – from losing talented nurses to preventable safety errors – make it a hazard healthcare organizations can’t afford to ignore. The encouraging news is that by prioritizing internal communication, you can turn disengagement around. When healthcare workers feel heard, informed, and appreciated, they pour that much more heart into their patients.
It’s time to make internal communication a core part of patient safety and employee well-being initiatives. Your next step: learn how to put these strategies into action across your organization. Download our comprehensive “Importance of Internal Communication” white paper to discover in-depth insights on engaging healthcare employees and improving patient outcomes through strategic internal communication. This free PDF is packed with Gallup research, DEI best practices, and real ROI metrics to help you build a stronger, more connected healthcare workforce. Don’t let poor communication undermine your mission – empower your team with the information and inspiration they need to deliver exceptional care.
FAQ
Missed handoffs, employees feeling “out of the loop,” duplicated efforts across departments, and low morale are all red flags. You might also see more errors, absenteeism, and lack of participation in meetings—clear signs of communication breakdown.
Disengaged staff may be less attentive, communicate poorly, or miss important details, leading to errors or cold interactions. Engaged staff are more proactive, which improves patient safety and experience.
Start with a clear strategy and use the right tools for your workforce (like mobile apps for nurses). Personalize updates, encourage feedback, and train leaders to communicate often and transparently. Even small habits like huddles or weekly emails can boost engagement and alignment.
