Doctor-patient communication: a review and a rationale for using an assessment framework

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which improving doctor–patient communication (DPC) can address and alleviate many healthcare delivery inefficiencies. Design/methodology/approach The authors survey causes and costs of miscommunication including perceptual gaps between how physicians believe they perform their communicative duties vs how patients feel and highlight thresholds such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) used by hospitals to identify health outcomes and improve DPC. Findings The authors find that DPC correlates with better and more accurate care as well as with more satisfied patients. The authors utilize an assessment framework, doctor–patient communication assessment (DPCA), empirically measuring the effectiveness of DPC. While patient care is sometimes viewed as purely technical, there is evidence that DPC strongly predicts clinical outcomes as well as patients’ overall ratings of hospitals. Research limitations/implications More research is needed to extend our understanding of the impact of the DPC on the overall HCAHPS ratings of hospitals. The authors think that researchers should adopt a qualitative method (e.g. content analysis) for analyzing DPC discourse. Practical implications When a sufficient amount of DPCA training is initiated, a norming procedure could be developed and a database may be employed to demonstrate training program’s efficacy, a critical factor in establishing the credibility of the measurement program and nurturing support for its use. Originality/value The authors highlight clinical and operational issues as well as costs associated with miscommunication and the need to use metrics such as HCAHPS that allow consumers to see how hospitals differ on specific characteristics.