The patient –physician relationship: an account of the physician’s perspective

ConclusionsIn contrast to patients who traditionally stress the importance of interpersonal skills, physicians stress the significance of the technical expertise and knowledge of health providers, emphasizing the role of competence and performance. Physicians evaluate the relationship on the basis of their ability to solve problems through devotion, serviceability, reliability, and trustworthiness and disregard the “softer” interpersonal aspects such as caring, appreciation, and empathy that have been found to be important to their patients. This illustrates a mismatch in the important components of relationship building that can lead to a loss of trust, satisfaction, and repeat purchase.Policy implicationsWe study the impact physicians ’ incentives have on the tangible relationship and discuss the significance of physician-patient relationship on satisfaction with the health service given. As a result policies leading to a more dynamic role must be given to the patient, who being well informed by the physician, can help in the d ecision making process. Policy schemes need to be implemented as a way of changing physicians’ behavior, forcing them to better construct and utilize this dyadic relationship.
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research