The clinician-patient partnership paradigm: Outcomes associated with physician communication behavior

Noreen M. Clark, Michael D. Cabana, Bin Nan, Z. Molly Gong, Kathryn K. Slish, Nancy A. Birk, Niko Kaciroti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

69 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To identify physician communication behaviors associated with perceptions of quality of care and predictive of positive patient outcomes. Patients and Methods: A total of 452 families seeing 48 pediatricians for a child's asthma participated. Perceptions and health care use were assessed at baseline and after 12 months through interviews and medical records. The measures used were 10 physician communication behaviors and 6 items describing physician's performance, asthma office visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalization. Results: Positive perceptions of physicians' performance were related to (P ≤.05) careful listening, inquiring about at-home management, nonverbal attention, interactive conversation, tailoring short-term goals, and long-term therapeutic plan. Loss in health care use was predicted (P ≤.05) by interactive conversation, short-term goals, criteria for decision making, long-term treatment plan, and tailoring according to needs. The use of these techniques did not lengthen the patient visit. A clinician-patient partnership paradigm is provided based on these findings. Conclusions: The specific clinician communication behaviors predicted reduced health care use and positive perceptions of quality of care.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)49-57
Number of pages9
JournalClinical Pediatrics
Volume47
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Asthma
  • Outcomes
  • Physician communication
  • Physician education

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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