title: Establishing rapport: Physicians' practice and attendees' satisfaction at a Primary Health Care Center, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Establishing rapport is an important step in physician-patient communication resulting in a positive effect on patient satisfaction and overall clinical outcomes. However, there is a dearth of studies on the condition of doctor-patient relations in Saudi Arabia. This study was performed to estimate the proportion of physicians who have a good rapport with patients in their practice and the proportion of satisfied attendees.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Primary Health Care Center, Dammam, KSA. The data were collected through a structured self-administered questionnaire given to samples of attendees and physicians to estimate patient satisfaction and the practice of rapport by physicians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 374 attendees and 27 physicians participated in the study. The percentage of physicians who had good rapport was 51.9%. Factors that showed significant relationship with rapport practice were: Physician's age (p = 0.016), physician's experience (p = 0.043), and professional status (p = 0.031). The attendees satisfied with their physician's rapport with them were 50.5%. Factors that showed significant relationship with satisfaction were: Attendee's age (p < 0.0001), educational level (p < 0.0001), having a chronic illness (p < 0.0001), having appointment (p < 0.0001), physicians' professional status (p < 0.0001), and a nonsurgical specialty (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians' rapport with patients and patients' satisfaction with physicians' empathy is not high. Training is required to optimize physician-patient communication.
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Center, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Hospital, National Guard Health Authority, Ministry of the National Guard, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ayat A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Ali
authors.affiliation: Division of Family Medicine, King Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Authority, Ministry of the National Guard, Al Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Elzubair
keywords: Patient rapport; Saudi Arabia; patient satisfaction