Physician-patient Agreement on Physicians' Communication Skills and Visit Satisfaction in Dermatology Clinics: a One-with-many Design

Overview

Journal Health Psychol Rep

Publisher Termedia

Date 2023 Dec 12

PMID 38084373

Authors

Zuzanna Kwissa-Gajewska

Aleksandra Kroemeke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: There is limited research on physician-patient communication skills that covers both sides of the relationship. The aim of this study was to explore two indicators of effective physician-patient communication: the agreement of physicians' and patients' perspectives of physicians' communication skills in outpatient visits to dermatology clinics and the relationship of these perceptions of the consultation with their visit satisfaction.

Participants And Procedure: Dermatologists ( = 8) and their patients ( = 122) completed post-consultation dyadic measures of the content (what the physician communicates) and process (how the physician communicates) of the communication and satisfaction with a single office visit. Multilevel modelling was used to investigate the patient and doctor variance components at both the dyad and the doctor levels.

Results: The patients rated the communication content skills higher than the physicians did; however, the doctors rated themselves as better skilled at the process of communication. There was disagreement between the physicians' and the patients' ratings of the both physicians' content and process skills. In contrast, there was a high level of consensus amongst patients of the same doctor about the content and process of the doctor's communication skills, while the physicians did not perceive themselves as consistent in communication between one patient and another. However, both the physicians and the patients who reported uniquely the highest physicians' communication skills had higher visit satisfaction. Moreover, the patients who perceived their physicians as having good communication process skills on average had higher visit satisfaction.

Conclusions: Although the perspectives of the same visit differed, self-rated behaviour affected satisfaction with visit.

References

Hall W, Violato C, Lewkonia R, Lockyer J, Fidler H, Toews J . Assessment of physician performance in Alberta: the physician achievement review. CMAJ. 1999; 161(1):52-7. PMC: 1232653. View

Jenkins V, Fallowfield L, Saul J . Information needs of patients with cancer: results from a large study in UK cancer centres. Br J Cancer. 2001; 84(1):48-51. PMC: 2363610. DOI: 10.1054/bjoc.2000.1573. View

Cousin G, Schmid Mast M, Roter D, Hall J . Concordance between physician communication style and patient attitudes predicts patient satisfaction. Patient Educ Couns. 2011; 87(2):193-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2011.08.004. View

van den Brink-Muinen A, Verhaak P, Bensing J, Bahrs O, Deveugele M, Gask L . Doctor-patient communication in different European health care systems: relevance and performance from the patients' perspective. Patient Educ Couns. 2000; 39(1):115-27. DOI: 10.1016/s0738-3991(99)00098-1. View

Smith S, Adam D, Kirkpatrick P, McRobie G . Using solution-focused communication to support patients. Nurs Stand. 2011; 25(52):42-7. DOI: 10.7748/ns2011.08.25.52.42.c8675. View

Cousin G, Schmid Mast M, Jaunin-Stalder N . Finding the right interactional temperature: do colder patients need more warmth in physician communication style?. Soc Sci Med. 2013; 98:18-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.08.034. View

Dreno B, Thiboutot D, Gollnick H, Finlay A, Layton A, Leyden J . Large-scale worldwide observational study of adherence with acne therapy. Int J Dermatol. 2010; 49(4):448-56. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04416.x. View

Staiger T, Jarvik J, Deyo R, Martin B, Braddock 3rd C . BRIEF REPORT: Patient-physician agreement as a predictor of outcomes in patients with back pain. J Gen Intern Med. 2005; 20(10):935-7. PMC: 1490226. DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.0175.x. View

Campbell T, Auerbach S, Kiesler D . Relationship of interpersonal behaviors and health-related control appraisals to patient satisfaction and compliance in a university health center. J Am Coll Health. 2007; 55(6):333-40. DOI: 10.3200/JACH.55.6.333-340. View

10.

Chewning B, Bylund C, Shah B, Arora N, Gueguen J, Makoul G . Patient preferences for shared decisions: a systematic review. Patient Educ Couns. 2011; 86(1):9-18. PMC: 4530615. DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2011.02.004. View

11.

Saba G, Wong S, Schillinger D, Fernandez A, Somkin C, Wilson C . Shared decision making and the experience of partnership in primary care. Ann Fam Med. 2006; 4(1):54-62. PMC: 1466999. DOI: 10.1370/afm.393. View

12.

Richards H, Fortune D, Weidmann A, Sweeney S, Griffiths C . Detection of psychological distress in patients with psoriasis: low consensus between dermatologist and patient. Br J Dermatol. 2004; 151(6):1227-33. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06221.x. View

13.

Fagerberg C, Kragstrup J, Stovring H, Rasmussen N . How well do patient and general practitioner agree about the content of consultations?. Scand J Prim Health Care. 1999; 17(3):149-52. DOI: 10.1080/028134399750002557. View

14.

Ha J, Longnecker N . Doctor-patient communication: a review. Ochsner J. 2011; 10(1):38-43. PMC: 3096184. View

15.

Kim S, Kaplowitz S, Johnston M . The effects of physician empathy on patient satisfaction and compliance. Eval Health Prof. 2004; 27(3):237-51. DOI: 10.1177/0163278704267037. View

16.

Overeem K, Wollersheim H, Arah O, Cruijsberg J, Grol R, Lombarts K . Evaluation of physicians' professional performance: an iterative development and validation study of multisource feedback instruments. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012; 12:80. PMC: 3349515. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-12-80. View

17.

Little P, Everitt H, Williamson I, Warner G, Moore M, Gould C . Observational study of effect of patient centredness and positive approach on outcomes of general practice consultations. BMJ. 2001; 323(7318):908-11. PMC: 58543. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.323.7318.908. View

18.

Taube K . Patient-Doctor Relationship in Dermatology: From Compliance to Concordance. Acta Derm Venereol. 2016; 96(217):25-9. DOI: 10.2340/00015555-2452. View

19.

Williams S, Weinman J, Dale J . Doctor-patient communication and patient satisfaction: a review. Fam Pract. 1998; 15(5):480-92. DOI: 10.1093/fampra/15.5.480. View

20.

Barankin B, DeKoven J . Psychosocial effect of common skin diseases. Can Fam Physician. 2002; 48:712-6. PMC: 2214020. View