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Speaking and interruptions during primary care office visits
D R Rhoades1, K F McFarland, W H Finch
1Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina, USA. DRhoadesPhD@cs.com
Family Medicine
|July 18, 2001
Summary
Physician interruptions during patient visits are common, with residents interrupting patients before they finish speaking. Factors like gender and computer use influence these communication breakdowns, impacting patient satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Medical Communication
- Primary Care Research
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Effective physician-patient communication is crucial for quality healthcare.
- Understanding communication dynamics in primary care is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze physician-patient communication patterns during resident primary care visits.
- To identify the frequency and types of interruptions impacting these interactions.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of 60 routine primary care visits.
- Inclusion of 22 family practice and internal medicine residents.
- Data collection on speaking time, interruption frequency, and types.
Main Results:
- Residents interrupted patients before they finished speaking in 25% of visits.
- Computer use and verbal interruptions were significant disruptors.
- Interruptions were linked to lower patient satisfaction and a perception of insufficient speaking time.
- Female residents and more experienced residents (third-year) interrupted less.
Conclusions:
- Frequent interruptions disrupt physician-patient communication in primary care.
- Physician gender and patient gender influenced interruption patterns.
- Computer use is a notable source of communication interference.