Exploring the Relational Aspects of Patient and Doctor Communication

The alliance concept is an essential component of therapeutic relationships. Contrary to empirical evidence, its relevance is often not acknowledged in medical encounters. This circumstance invites the question, ‘‘How can the doctor and patient connect relationally with each other to improve the communication process and promote healing?’’ We propose that healing can be accomplished through dialog that emphasizes the collaborative nature of the partnership between the doctor and patient. The typical conversation in a medical encounter may be reduced to an information exchange and a medium for prescribing directives. This being-with approach can override patients’ involvement in the process. A positive doctor–patient relationship may be one of the most important, and most frequently overlooked, factors for predicting patient response to negative medical information. Receiving such news is potentially upsetting for the patient and may require the doctor to let go of the conversational medical agenda and adopt a being-for mode of relationship. We propose that this approach invites the doctor and patient to work together and negotiate how to manage the chronic illness eliciting patient-preferred treatment options. The authors propose the adoption of the being-for relationship as a way of enhancing the therapeutic potential of the doctor–patient relationship.

Download Full-text

Analysis of Network Structure and Doctor Behaviors in E-Health Communities from a Social-Capital Perspective

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17041136 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 1136 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhigang Li ◽

Xu Xu

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Information Exchange ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

Medical Information ◽

Service Levels ◽

Health Community ◽

Professional Titles ◽

Health Communities ◽

Social Capital Perspective ◽

Doctor Communication

In tandem with internet development and widespread social media use, e-health communities have begun to emerge in recent years. These communities allow doctors to access forums anywhere, anytime, seek or exchange medical information online, find literature, and so on. This is convenient and can solve some problems for doctors while also promoting doctor communication. This study collected and collated 102 doctors in the “Lilac Forum” and used social network tools to quantify the overall network density, centrality, core–periphery structure, and structural hole indicators of doctors’ information exchange from a social-capital perspective. The results showed that the frequency of interaction between doctors differed because of differences in the identities and participation of doctors in the e-health community. The density of the doctors’ information dissemination network (0.228) and network cohesion (0.610) were relatively high. Thus, the doctors were more closely connected, and information was easily spread. At the same time, doctors with higher professional titles had obvious location characteristics, familiarity and trust, and high levels of reciprocity. They could obtain redundant information in the network and were more likely to influence the behavior of other doctors. This study’s findings provide support for improving information exchange among doctors in e-health communities and improving the service levels of the platforms.

Download Full-text

Duties of Behavior Toward Patients

The Trusted Doctor ◽

10.1093/med/9780190859909.003.0006 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 118-137

Author(s):

Rosamond Rhodes

Keyword(s):

Medical Ethics ◽

Medical Information ◽

Common Morality ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Case Examples ◽

Medical Needs ◽

Numerous Case ◽

Patient Interactions ◽

Treatment Plans

This chapter explains three central physician duties that clearly set medical ethics apart from common morality: nonjudgmental regard, nonsexual regard, and confidentiality. Because patients will not trust doctors when they are not confident in the doctor’s devotion and commitment to meeting their medical needs, doctors must avoid any intimation of judging a patient unworthy of care. Because doctors need their patients to trust that the intimacy of the doctor-patient relationship has no sexual overtones in spite of the revelation, nudity, and touching, doctors must maintain nonsexual regard in their patient interactions. Because doctors need patients to divulge intimate personal details about their behavior and history in order to make accurate diagnoses and develop treatment plans, patients must be able to trust their doctors to uphold confidentiality and only share medical information with other professionals on a need-to-know basis. These duties are explained and illustrated with numerous case examples.

Download Full-text

Excellent Suggestion for Transfer of Medical Information

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.42.6.1013a ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 42 (6) ◽

pp. 1013-1014

Author(s):

Morris A. Wessel

Keyword(s):

Medical Information ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Medical Report ◽

Preparatory Schools

Pediatricians frequently receive requests from preparatory schools or colleges for medical information concerning a patient who has been under care for many years. Many physicians are rightfully hesitant to send information of any consequence because the doctor's primary obligation is to maintain the confidentiality of the doctor-patient relationship. There is another important fact to consider when the medical report form is given to a physician with an envelope, addressed to the registrar or to the admissions office.

Download Full-text

Komunikacja lekarz–pacjent a wizerunek lekarzy i podmiotów zdrowia publicznego

Dziennikarstwo i Media ◽

10.19195/2082-8322.7.8 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 101-112

Author(s):

Karina Stasiuk-Krajewska

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Care System ◽

Basic Question ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Communication ◽

Care System

Patient–doctor communication, and the image of physicians and public health entitiesThe text is an attempt to analyse the problem of the image of health care system and its personnel mainly doctors in the context of communication. Author shows that the basic question in the context of doctor–patient relationship is the question of reliance and trust. Reliance is consequently the matter of communication, so the better communicative competences the doctor has, the bigger is the trust of patients form him/her.

Download Full-text

THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP: EXPLORING THE PERSPECTIVES AMONG RESIDENT DOCTORS AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

10.36106/gjra/1413237 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 216-219

Author(s):

Farhanul Huda ◽

Lokavarapu Manoj Joshua ◽

Bhargava Gajula ◽

Navin Kumar

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Patient Centeredness ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Good Doctor ◽

Clinical Departments

Background: Doctor patient relationship is important in that it facilitates better care and improves compliance of patients to treatment. In the current medical world there is strain on the doctor patient relationship as evidenced by increased litigation rates. Patients have also grown increasingly demanding of their doctors. Studies assessing the knowledge of doctors on doctor patient relationship and patient centeredness are required thus the aim of the current study. Material And Methods: Resident doctors working in clinical departments of AIIMS Rishikesh are given a validated selfadministered questionnaire, structured in three sections. The First section contains a paired statement representing views on the doctor-patient relationship. . The second section have questions regarding the various ways how resident doctors have learned to develop relationships with patients. The third section will explore the resident's knowledge on patient centered consultations. Results: Out of the total 230 resident doctors in various clinical departments, 116 residents participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 29.2, with 28 % being Females and mean years of practice post MBBS of 3.2 years. The participants in the study are of opinion that patient has nal say in deciding between treatment options and they always take time to explore patient ideas. Majority of the participants learned to develop relationship of patients by their own experience or by observing the practice of seniors.32% of the participants are unaware of the concept of patient centeredness and only 12 % of individuals know all aspects of patient centeredness. Conclusions: Knowledge on patient centeredness and communication skills required to maintain a good doctor patient relationship is inadequate among residents. This study emphasizes the need for undergraduate training in communication skills by didactic lectures and practice exercises using standardized patients.

Download Full-text

Analysis of Doctor–Patient Relationship in Post-COVID-19 Period: Perspective Differences Between Citizen and Medical Staff

INQUIRY The Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing ◽

10.1177/00469580211060300 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 ◽

pp. 004695802110603

Author(s):

Lingmin Hu ◽

Lijing Bai ◽

Shenyu Zhao ◽

Renjie Lu

Keyword(s):

Medical Staff ◽

Medical Information ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Fairness And Efficiency ◽

Tertiary Hospitals ◽

Patient’S Expectation

To evaluate the current views on doctor–patient relationship (DPR) between citizens and medical staff in post-Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) period and predict the possible factors of DPR, we distributed questionnaires by a online questionnaire platform--Questionnaire Star (https://www.wjx.cn) to evaluate DPR in post-COVID-19 period. Overall, 312 questionnaires for citizens and 421 questionnaires for medical staff were completed. Citizens felt that service attitude and communication with medical staff, and registering process have been improved. And their trust in doctors has increased by 86.8%. Majority of citizens (66.0%) preferred the tertiary hospitals. If doctor–patient contradictions occurred, 62.9% citizens preferred internal negotiation (with the doctor involved, 44.6%; with hospital management department, 18.3%). There was significant difference of views on the causes of medical violence incidents and the reasons for doctor–patient conflicts in the future between citizens and medical staff. The DPR score of medical staff was lower than citizens at each stage, and even showed a downward tendency in post-COVID-19 period. Furthermore, 20.4% medical staff believed that harmonious DPR would not be maintained, which was distinct from that of the citizens. Combating the COVID-19 provided an important opportunity to improve the DPR. However, unbalanced allocation of high-quality medical resources, gap between the actual treatment efficacy and patient’s expectation, fairness and efficiency issues, financial conflicts, and medical information symmetry were still the influencing factors of DPR.

Download Full-text

A RISK-ORIENTED APPROACH TO PATIENT–DOCTOR COMMUNICATION: AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW

Archiv Euromedica ◽

10.35630/2199-885x/2020/10/4.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 13-19

Author(s):

Alexander Fedonnikov ◽

Lev Chernobylov ◽

Elmira Fakhrudinova ◽

Maria Ivanovskaya ◽

MIKHAIL ZHELAEV ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Analysis ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Communication Framework ◽

Significant Potential ◽

Analytical Review ◽

Doctor Communication ◽

Oriented Approach

Studying one of the most relevant issues within the context of healthcare digitization – the doctorpatient communication – offers a significant potential for finding solutions related to prevention of risks that are constantly present given the shortage of resources in healthcare. In view of the issue in question, there are ethical, legal, socio-psychological, and technological risks that are described here within the communication framework. The authors offer a view at the outcomes of a structural and functional analysis concerning these communication risks and possible options for their prevention within the context of the basic doctor-patient relationship models.

Download Full-text

Impact of internet on doctor-patient relationship

International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology ◽

10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20201748 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 731 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sandesh Banginwar ◽

Dashputra Amruta ◽

Borker A. S. ◽

Nayse Jaideep ◽

Badwaik R. T.

Keyword(s):

Medical Information ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Health Care Centre ◽

Use Of Internet ◽

Google Search

Background: Widespread use of internet as a source of health information has an effect on health-related knowledge, attitude and practices of general population as well as doctor-patient relationship. This study has been planned to see perception of doctors about patients who take medical information by internet search. The objective of the study was to assess impact of internet on doctor-patient relationship among doctors of tertiary health care centre. Methods: After ethical approval a questionnaire based cross sectional study was conducted among teachers of a tertiary care hospital. Questionnaire was categorized in the two groups: i) negative impact of internet (14), ii) positive impact of internet (11), total= 25 statements, rated on Likert scale. Medical teachers who are involved in treating patients were included (n=54). Data was analysed using mean score and standard deviation for each item.Results: Most of the doctors opined that use of internet as a source of information has affected doctor-patient relationship (mean 4.35 SD 0.48) and that they were now questioned by already well-informed patients (4.76 SD 0.43). Google search by patients may results in misguided self-treatment or wrong diagnosis (mean 4.85 SD 0.36). Conclusions: Doctors were agreed that patients are still having same faith on doctors in spite of doing google search on medical information.

Download Full-text

THE IMPACT OF HEALTH INFORMATION AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERNET ON DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP: A DOCTOR'S PERSPECTIVE

10.36106/gjra/8100425 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 7-9

Author(s):

Dolli S. Aasani ◽

Jayesh Kathiria ◽

Mohit Chauhan

Keyword(s):

Health Information ◽

Medical Information ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Internet Users ◽

The World ◽

Expert’S Opinion ◽

Health Related ◽

Google Search ◽

The Impact

Introduction: The World‑Wide‑Web (WWW) or internet has become an important source of information including medical information globally. India stands second in the world with approximately 500 million internet users. Worldwide, about 4.5% of all internet searches are for health-related information and more than 70, 000 websites disseminate health information. Widespread use of internet as a source of health information has an effect on health-related knowledge, attitude and practices of general population as well as doctor-patient relationship. Objective: To assess the impact of health information available through internet on doctor-patient relationship from the doctor’s perspective. Methods: A web based study was conducted among the clinical doctors for the duration of 2 months. 16 questionnaires were prepared by authors and pre-validated by pilot study and expert’s opinion. Written informed consent from each 31 doctors participated in the study had taken. Result: 87% doctors agree that patient who had done internet search before the doctor's visit, takes more consultation time. 71% doctors believes that it is difficult to treat internet user patient because of distrustful behaviour and they suggest new investigations or ask for super-specialist's opinion. 90 % doctors agree that distrustful patients misuses the internet health information to test doctor's knowledge. 77% doctors believes that in spite of google search patients still have same faith on doctor. Conclusion: The impact of health information available through internet on doctor-patient relationship is both positive and negative and they perceive the overall effects on doctor-patient relationship as neutral.

Download Full-text