Changes in physician-patient communication from initial to return visits: a prospective study in a haematology outpatient clinic.
Limited research has investigated how physician-patient interaction changes over time. We have therefore examined physician-patient communication during the two initial, as well as the seventh (on average) patient visit to a haematology outpatient clinic. Consultations were audio taped and analyzed using the Roter interaction analysis system (RIAS). Patients completed the Impact of Events Scale (IES) before and a satisfaction questionnaire after each consultation. Consultations were generally physician dominated and task-focused. While the amount of task-focused communication was significantly reduced between the initial and the return visits, the amount of socio-emotional communication remained quite stable. In return visits (but not in the two initial visits), patients with more severe diagnoses were given longer consultations and they provided more task-focused information to a less verbally dominant physician. Patients were more satisfied in the second and return visits (but not in the first), if consultations contained greater levels of socio-emotional communication.
Graugaard
Peter Kjaer
PK
Department of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1111, Blindern, N-0317 Oslo, Norway. p.k.graugaard@basalmed.uio.no
Holgersen
Kjersti
K
Eide
Hilde
H
Finset
Arnstein
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003142:Communication; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D006405:Hematology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009819:Office Visits; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012930:Social Dominance; D012951:Socialization; D013637:Tape Recording; D013997:Time Factors; D014705:Verbal Behavior