Doctor competencies, patient expectations and healthcare context: connecting communication to satisfaction and trust

TL;DR

This study explores how doctor communication affects patient satisfaction and trust, highlighting the role of doctor competencies, patient expectations, and healthcare context.

Contribution

The study identifies specific mediating factors in the relationship between communication and patient outcomes using a qualitative approach.

Findings

Doctor competencies mediate the link between communication and patient satisfaction and trust.

Patient expectations and healthcare context also act as critical mediators.

Qualitative analysis reveals three main themes influencing these relationships.

Abstract

•Patients trust and satisfaction with healthcare are closely linked.•Patient-doctor communication relates to patient satisfaction and trust with care.•Factors mediate the relationship between communication, satisfaction, and trust.•Doctors clinical and relational competencies are important mediators.•Patients expectations and healthcare context play a critical role as mediators too.

Patients trust and satisfaction with healthcare are closely linked.

Patient-doctor communication relates to patient satisfaction and trust with care.

Factors mediate the relationship between communication, satisfaction, and trust.

Doctors clinical and relational competencies are important mediators.

Patients expectations and healthcare context play a critical role as mediators too.

To investigate which factors mediate the association between doctors’ communication behaviours and patients’ satisfaction with care and trust placed in their doctors.

Qualitative descriptive study conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, with 60 patients enrolled in the preoperative risk assessment clinic. They underwent a semi-structured interview, which was analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach.

Patients' satisfaction with care and trust placed in their doctors were analysed. The main themes identified as mediating factors were doctors' competencies, patients subjectiveness, and healthcare context.

Better understanding the mediators involved in the association between communication and patients’ satisfaction and trust allows the creation of specific educational actions targeted at doctors.

We use a qualitative approach to identify mediating factors and shed light on how what happens in the “doctor’s office” can mediate the connection between communication, satisfaction and trust.

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