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Related Experiment Videos

A comparison of initial and established patient encounters using the Davis Observation Code.

K D Bertakis1, E J Callahan

  • 1Department of Family Practice, University of California, School of Medicine, Davis.

Family Medicine
|May 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Physician-patient communication differs significantly between new and established patient visits. Established patients experience shorter visits with more counseling and compliance checks, while new patients have more history taking and less structured interactions.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Communication
  • Family Medicine
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Prior studies on medical visit communication often overlooked patient status (new vs. established).
  • Patient outcomes like compliance, recall, and satisfaction are linked to communication dynamics.
  • Understanding differences in encounters is crucial for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare communication patterns in new versus established patient encounters.
  • To identify specific interactional differences based on physician-patient familiarity.

Main Methods:

  • The study analyzed 62 new and 58 established patient visits at a university family practice clinic.
  • The Davis Observation Code was employed to systematically code and evaluate communication behaviors during these encounters.

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Main Results:

  • Established patient visits were shorter, featuring more chatting, counseling, and discussions on treatment effects and compliance.
  • New patient visits involved less interactional structuring, less history taking, and fewer discussions on sensitive topics like smoking or substance abuse.

Conclusions:

  • Physician-patient familiarity significantly influences the content and structure of medical interviews.
  • Future research on physician-patient interactions must account for whether encounters are with new or established patients.