Aim. The aim of the studies was the evaluation of the accessibility of informative support provided to patients by the medical personnel. Material and methods. The studies were conducted among 95 patients of clinical wards and the admissions of the clinical hospital at Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Results. The majority of patients participating in the study obtained information at least in the four areas examined (the patient’s condition; diagnostic examinations and treatments; effects of medical activities, the doctor’s instructions). However, in the process of communication there appeared mistakes in the form of providing the information, which the patients determined as incomprehensible. 50% of the patients did not receive the information about the way in which they should prepare themselves for diagnostic examinations/treatments. More than 20% of the patients claimed that during the admission to hospital no medical interview was carried out with them. Conclusions. Proper communication in the patient-medical personnel relationship is of great importance to the right course of the diagnostic-therapeutic process and in consequence it influences the patient’s satisfaction and the image of the medical subject.

Key words: communication with a patient, informative support, psychological stress.