title: Training physicians to increase patient trust.
abstract: Patient trust in the physician is an important aspect of the patient-physician relationship that has recently become a focus of interest, in part due to the rise of managed care in the US healthcare system. In a previous study, we identified physician behaviours reported by patients as important to establishing their trust in the physician. The current study attempted to modify these behaviours via a short training programme and thereby to increase patient trust and improve associated outcomes. After baseline measurements, 10 physicians were randomized to the intervention group and 10 remained as a control group. While intervention physicians showed a net improvement in 16 of 19 specific patient-reported behaviours when compared to control physicians, these differences were not statistically significant. There was also no significant difference in patient trust, patient satisfaction, continuity, self-reported adherence, number of referrals or number of diagnostic tests ordered. This short training course in a group of self-selected physicians was not a sufficiently strong intervention to achieve the desired effect. Suggestions are given for designing a stronger training intervention.
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1760, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Thom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011897:Random Allocation