Effects of BATHE Interview Protocol on Patient Satisfaction.

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Patient Experience Research
• Outpatient Healthcare

Background:

• The BATHE (background, affect, trouble, handling, empathy) interview approach is utilized in outpatient settings.
• Existing beliefs suggest BATHE enhances patient satisfaction and overall medical treatment quality.
• This study aimed to validate the claim that BATHE improves patient satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically test whether the BATHE interview approach increases patient satisfaction in an outpatient setting.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 5 doctors and 100 patients (50 in BATHE group, 50 in control).
• Patients were randomly assigned to either the BATHE group (interviewed using the BATHE protocol) or the control group (standard interview).
• Patient satisfaction was assessed anonymously immediately after interviews using a standardized questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The BATHE group reported statistically significant higher satisfaction on 7 out of 10 questionnaire items compared to the control group.
• Interviewer questions in the BATHE group were deemed more appropriate for the protocol categories, with the exception of empathy.
• The study found a clear positive impact of the BATHE approach on patient-reported satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• The BATHE interview approach demonstrably enhances patient satisfaction in outpatient settings.
• It is recommended that healthcare providers adopt the BATHE approach to improve the patient experience.
• Further research may explore optimizing the empathy component within the BATHE protocol.