Assertiveness in physicians' interpersonal professional encounters: A scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Healthcare Professionalism
• Physician-Patient Dynamics

Background:

• Effective physician-patient relationships are crucial for high-quality healthcare.
• Medical encounters can be challenging, requiring physicians to communicate assertively.
• Physicians' assertiveness, considering power dynamics, requires comprehensive review.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review on physicians' assertiveness in communication.
• To explore the concept of assertiveness in physician encounters.
• To identify gaps in research regarding physician assertiveness.

Main Methods:

• Searched four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, WoS) for articles on physician assertiveness until February 2022.
• Utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute approach and PRISMA checklist for the review protocol.
• Screened 1513 articles, with 22 selected for full review.

Main Results:

• Most studies focused on assertive communication with medical staff and bottom-up power relations.
• A clear definition of assertiveness was lacking in 40% of the articles reviewed.
• Definitions and measures of assertiveness varied significantly, hindering direct comparison.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for a clearer definition and in-depth exploration of physician assertiveness.
• A relational definition of assertiveness is proposed: communicating needs while respecting others.
• This definition can guide future research and improve communication styles in healthcare.