title: Survey of patient and physician satisfaction regarding patient-centered outpatient consultations in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to show the difference in consultation satisfaction between patient and physician in rural settings, and identify the variables affecting their satisfaction regarding these encounters.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected data by administering questionnaires that included questions regarding satisfaction for a patient-centered approach to patients and physicians, transcribing data from medical records, and observing consultations in person. We then modeled cumulative logits of patient and physician satisfaction scores by performing ordered logistic regression using the proportional odds model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven physicians and 122 patients participated in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients and physicians expressed high satisfaction with their consultation sessions. Patient satisfaction tended to be higher than physician satisfaction. Physicians were satisfied with longer consultations but patients were not. Moreover, the long waiting times dissatisfied patients. In cases of multiple healthcare episodes (courses of treatment for a different condition) during a single visit, patient satisfaction decreased, while physician satisfaction increased. Physician satisfaction for interactions in general was less when they checked the same patient who had previously visited them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that if physicians feel satisfied with their consultation, patients also feel satisfied regardless of the physician's opinion. The variables that affect patient and physician satisfaction include prior visits with the same physician, consultation length, longer waiting times, and number of episodes. These findings from Japanese clinics are consistent with those previously reported for other countries.
authors: Healthcare Systems Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan. kkisa@med.hokudai.ac.jp
authors: Kengo
authors: K
authors: Kisa
authors: Hidenobu
authors: H
authors: Kawabata
authors: Takamasa
authors: T
authors: Itou
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Nishimoto
authors: Masaji
authors: M
authors: Maezawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055815:Young Adult