Communication discrepancies between physicians and hospitalized patients

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Patient Experience
• Healthcare Quality

Background:

• Hospital surveys reveal a disconnect between patient awareness of diagnoses/treatments and physician-reported effective communication.
• This communication gap may negatively impact the quality of inpatient care.
• The study aimed to evaluate patient knowledge and perspectives on inpatient care versus physician assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess patient knowledge and perspectives regarding their inpatient care.
• To compare patient assessments with physician perceptions of patient understanding and care experiences.
• To identify discrepancies in the patient-physician communication dynamic during hospitalization.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two validated questionnaires to assess inpatient experiences.
• Surveyed internal medicine residents and attending physicians on their patient care and understanding of patient perspectives.
• Data collected from October 2008 to June 2009.

Main Results:

• Significant discrepancies were found in patient and physician reports on key aspects of care.
• Only 18% of patients could name their main physician, while 67% of physicians believed they could (P<.001).
• Major differences were observed in patient understanding of diagnoses, explanation clarity, medication side effects, and discussion of fears/anxieties.

Conclusions:

• Substantial differences exist between patient and physician perceptions of inpatient care and patient knowledge.
• There is a clear need to identify and implement strategies to enhance patient-physician communication in hospitals.
• Improving communication is crucial for enhancing the quality of healthcare received by patients.