The article substantiates the significance of the development of communications in the «doctor-patient» format as a possible tool for improving the efficiency of medical institutions. The role of soft skills, communication skills of medical workers, their impact on the satisfaction of consumers of medical services, i.e. patients are presented. It is noted how digitalization and an overabundance of information contribute to the emergence of problems in the field of healthcare and affect the reputation of a medical organization. To assess the current state and possible correction of the communication potential of medical institutions the use a tool such as social diagnostics is proposed.