The good Indian doctor: People's perspectives

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Healthcare Communication
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• The doctor-patient relationship is a cornerstone of effective healthcare.
• Respecting patient perspectives while communicating treatment plans is crucial.
• Understanding patient expectations of a 'Good doctor' is vital for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify characteristics the Indian public values most in a physician.
• To explore patient preferences regarding professional expertise, humanism, and autonomy.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted with 402 participants.
• Participants rated 21 physician characteristics across three domains: expertise, humanism, and autonomy.
• Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were employed for analysis.

Main Results:

• Autonomy was the most preferred domain (84.3%), followed by humanism (75.1%) and professional expertise (74.6%).
• Key desired qualities included clear disease explanations (273 participants) and honesty about illness (218 participants).

Conclusions:

• Patient perceptions are shifting towards shared decision-making, influenced by health education.
• Open communication, humanism, and professional competence are essential for building trust in the doctor-patient relationship.