Responding effectively to patient anger directed at the physician

Area of Science:

• Medical communication
• Patient satisfaction
• Healthcare management

Background:

• Patient anger due to long wait times is frequent in clinical settings.
• Limited research exists on effective strategies for physicians to address patient anger.
• Understanding patient preferences is crucial for improving healthcare interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine patient satisfaction, importance ratings, and preferences for various physician responses to patient anger.
• To evaluate different communication strategies for managing patient frustration caused by delays.

Main Methods:

• 130 participants viewed a video of an angry patient and rated 12 physician responses.
• Physician responses were assessed based on apology, explanation, self-disclosure, and acknowledgment.
• Participants also evaluated physician follow-up questions for their effectiveness.

Main Results:

• An apology combined with an explanation received the highest satisfaction and importance ratings.
• "I apologize for your long wait" was preferred over "I am sorry you have been kept waiting."
• Patients favored follow-up questions that smoothly transitioned to the medical interview over those exploring emotions.

Conclusions:

• Patients desire physicians to apologize and explain delays before proceeding with the medical interview.
• A combination of apology and explanation is the most effective strategy for physicians.
• Clear communication and a swift return to the medical agenda are key to patient satisfaction.