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Determination of worries and expectations of family practice patients
Insights
This study developed a tool to understand patient worries and expectations during family physician visits. The research identified key patient concerns and what they hope to gain from consultations.
Area of Science:
- Family Medicine
- Patient-Physician Communication
- Health Psychology
Background:
- The physician-patient relationship is central to family practice.
- Patient expectations and illness-related worries influence consultations.
- Understanding these factors can improve patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an instrument for recording patient worries and expectations.
- To assess changes in these factors following a consultation.
- To inform family physicians about patient perspectives.
Main Methods:
- Development of a 26-card instrument for sorting patient worries and expectations.
- A study involving 100 patients sorting cards before and after family physician consultations.
- Qualitative analysis of patient-reported concerns and desired outcomes.
Main Results:
- Patients' major worries included discomfort, impact on family, physical examinations, and explaining their problem.
- Key patient expectations involved receiving a diagnosis explanation, treatment plan, and a compassionate physician demeanor.
- The instrument effectively captured pre- and post-consultation patient perspectives.
Conclusions:
- Patient worries and expectations are significant factors in family practice consultations.
- The developed instrument provides valuable insights into the patient experience.
- Addressing patient concerns and expectations can enhance the physician-patient relationship and consultation outcomes.
Abstract:
One of the cornerstones of family practice is the development of the physician-patient relationship within the context of the consultation. Each consultation is modified both by the prior expectations of the participants and by illness-related worries held by the patient. This paper describes the development of an instrument to record the worries and expectations of patients visiting their family physicians and changes occurring as a result of the consultation. The instrument comprises a card sort composed of 26 cards, on each of which is typed a statement relating to a worry or expectation that a patient might hold. One hundred patients were asked to sort these cards before and after the consultation. The major worries of the group were about discomfort, the effects of illness on the family, the prospect of a physical examination, and about explaining the problem to the physician. Prominent expectations were for an explanation of diagnosis and treatment and a friendly and understanding manner from the physician.