Physicians' opening questions and patients' satisfaction.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between the format of physicians' opening questions that solicit patients' presenting concerns and patients' post-visit evaluations of (i.e., satisfaction with) the affective-relational dimension of physicians' communication.


METHODS
Videotape and questionnaire data were collected from visits between 28 primary-care physicians and 142 adult patients with acute problems. Factor analysis resulted in three dependent variables derived from the 9-item Socioemotional Behavior subscale of the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale.


RESULTS
Question format was significantly, positively associated with patients' evaluations of physicians' listening (p=.028) and positive affective-relational communication (p=.046).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients desire opportunities to present concerns in their own time and terms regardless of how extensively they act on this opportunity.


CONCLUSIONS
Visits should be opened with general inquiries (e.g., What can I do for you today?) versus closed-ended requests for confirmation (e.g., Sore throat, huh?).
Robinson
Jeffrey D
JD
Rutgers University, Department of Communication, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1071, USA. jrob@scils.rutgers.edu
Heritage
John
J
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002140:California; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D009341:Negativism; D009511:New England; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011340:Problem Solving; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014743:Videotape Recording