bemötande

Bemötande describes the way individuals and organizations meet, respond to, and interact with others in professional encounters. It encompasses attitudes, behaviors, and communication in interactions with patients, clients, students, or customers. In Sweden, bemötande is a central concept in health care, social services, education, and customer service, and is regarded as essential for quality and safety.

Core elements include respect for the person’s dignity, empathy, active listening, clear and comprehensible information, appropriate language, and non-discrimination. It also covers privacy and confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism, as well as enabling participation in decisions affecting the person.

A person-centered approach is fundamental to bemötande. It emphasizes tailoring interactions to the individual's needs, values, and cultural context, and ensuring involvement in decisions to the extent possible. The goal is to build trust, reduce fear, and support safety and well-being.

Contexts and applications vary but share common aims. In health care, bemötande concerns how staff respond to patients and relatives, address concerns, and provide explanations. In social services and education, it covers interactions with service users and students. In customer service, it relates to service quality, accessibility, and trust.

Organization and culture influence bemötande through leadership, training, routines, and guidelines that promote consistency and continuous improvement. Feedback from service users and systematic quality assessments help drive change. Training often includes communication skills, ethics, cultural competence, and conflict resolution.

Challenges include language barriers, cultural diversity, time pressure, and high workload. Addressing bias and ensuring equitable treatment remain ongoing priorities for effective bemötande.