title: Patient perception and the barriers to practicing patient-centered communication: A survey and in-depth interview of Chinese patients and physicians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate patient perceptions of patient-centered communication (PCC) in doctor-patient consultations and explore barriers to PCC implementation in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted in public teaching hospital in Guiyang, Guizhou, China. In Phase 1, patient attitudes to PCC were quantitatively assessed in 317 outpatients using modified Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS). In Phase 2, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 outpatients to explore their views on PCC and expose potential barriers to PCC implementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants communicated "patient-centered" preferences, particularly with regard to their doctors' empathy, communication skills, time and information sharing. Patients were more concerned about doctors exhibiting caring perspective than power sharing. Younger and highly educated patients were more likely to prefer PCC and highly educated patients paid more attention to power sharing. Several factors including inadequate time for PCC resulting from doctors' high patient-load, doctor-patient communication difficulties and excessive treatment due to inappropriate medical payment system affected PCC implementation in China.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients expressed moderate enthusiasm for PCC in China. They expressed strong preferences concerning physician respect for patient perspective, but less concern for power sharing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Government should improve health care system by implementing PCC in daily healthcare practice to improve patient awareness and preferences.
authors.affiliation: Antai College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Management School, Guizhou University of Finance and Economy, Guizhou, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: baoyong@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Human Resource Department, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Antai College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D003142:Communication; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010465:Perception; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation
keywords: China; Doctor–patient communication; Patient perception; Patient-centered communication (PCC)