Impact of Patient Communication Preferences on the Patient Trust in Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iranian Outpatient's Clinics

There are widely emerging concerns that patient confidence in physicians is diminishing as physician–patient communication is threatened globally. This study aimed to assess patient communication preferences and their impact on patient trust in physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted among outpatient clinics of 2 public and private hospitals in Tabriz, Iran. A total of 704 patients were selected conveniently. Of the 704 patients, 6.39% had low trust, 36.79% moderate trust, 35.37% had a high trust, and 21.45% had blind trust in physicians. Overall patient communication preference score was more in a private clinic rather than a public one ( P = .008). Patients of private hospitals and those who were living in rural areas have been shown to have more trust in physicians. Patients’ trust in physicians showed a significant association with patient communication preference ( B = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.53-0.63, P < .001).

Assessing DNA rates within first time psychiatric referrals and the extent to which DNA rates are reduced by an SMS reminder service

Aims1) To assess the average wait time for patients to be offered an appointment and to establish any correlations between longer waiting times and 'Did not attend (DNA)' rates 2) To assess the number of patients who have opted into the text message appointment reminder service and whether this had an effect on DNA rates.BackgroundResearch has indicated that the Did Not Attend (DNA) rate in Psychiatry is estimated at 20%, twice that of other medical specialties (1). With NHS Digital estimating that DNAs cost the NHS £1 Billion per annum, there has been much interest in reducing the rate of DNAs within Psychiatry (2). Findings have shown that short waiting times are associated with higher rates of attendance (3). In addition, poor appointment attendance within Psychiatry is also associated with increased disease severity and higher rates of hospital admission (4).MethodWe conducted retrospective data collection on 99 patients referred to Professor Oyebode between January 2018 and August 2019. Our data collection involved assessing time the referral was received, time to first appointment and the patient's communication preference (e.g. whether they opted in to the SMS alert service). All data collection was conducted through use of RIO and coded/ammonized into a Excel spreadsheet. No sampling methods were employed and our population only consisted of first-time referrals to Professor Oyebodes clinic.Result1) We found no correlation between a longer waiting time to first appointment and an increased DNA rate.2) All patient waiting times between 1st January - 31st August were within the maximum limit set by national guidelines3) Opting into the text messaging service remains severely low. Of the patients audited, 95% had not completed a communication preference form. Overall, it is still unclear whether the text messaging service has a positive impact on DNA rates.ConclusionOur data have shown no significant correlation between a longer waiting time and an increased DNA rate for first time Psychiatry appointments. Secondly, we have concluded that between the audited period, waiting times were still within the maximum 18 week wait set by the Mental Health Standards. Finally, we can conclude that uptake of the text messaging service remains very low at 4%. Due to a limited sample size of only 4 patients, it is still unclear from this audit whether opting into the text messaging services will have a positive decrease on the number of DNA's.

Talking, Reading, and Writing on Smartphones

Mobile phones have increasingly been transformed from speaking technologies to devices for reading and writing. Cost helped drive this shift since written short messages were historically less expensive than voice calls. A second factor was communication preference for texting over talking, especially among younger users. With ready Internet access on smartphones, reading habits began shifting as well. Social networking messages, along with other short texts such as weather reports or news headlines, made for obvious reading material, as did the plethora of longer written documents available online. The e-book revolution enabled readers to retrieve entire books on their phones. Mobile phones are also writing platforms. Developments in hardware and software dramatically simplified the input process. Instead of multi-taps, users now rely on virtual keyboards for easy access not only to alphanumeric characters and punctuation marks but also to sophisticated predictive texting and autocorrection. Interestingly, while technically we are writing when inputting text on smartphones, many users do not perceive such input as real “writing”—a term they reserve for writing by hand or with a computer. Additional writing issues include norms regarding so-called textisms, along with the role of culture in shaping attitudes regarding linguistic correctness. Many organizations are discontinuing voicemail systems in favor of written messaging. At the same time, voice over Internet protocols continue to grow, and small voice-activated social robots designed for home use are proliferating. The chapter closes by asking what the spoken–written balance on smartphones might look like in the future.

Interactive E-Learning

This paper introduces the concept of improving student memory retention using a distance learning tool by establishing the student’s communication preference and learning style before the student uses the module contents. It argues that incorporating a distance learning tool with an intelligent/interactive tutoring system using various components (psychometric tests, communication preference , learning styles, mapping learning/teaching styles, neurolinguistic programming language patterns, subliminal text messaging, motivational factors, novice/expert factor, student model, and the way we learn) combined in WISDeM to create a human-computer interactive interface distance learning tool does indeed enhance memory retention. The authors show that WISDeM’s initial evaluation indicates that a student’s retained knowledge has been improved from a mean average of 63.57% to 71.09% — moving the student from a B to an A.