A new study published in Annals of Family Medicine found that clinical reviewers, patients and physicians rate physicians' ability to communicate differently in post-appointment surveys.
Jenni Burt, a social scientist at the Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute at University of Cambridge in England surveyed 503 pairs of physicians and patients across 13 practices on how well treatments were explained, and how well the physician listened to and addressed patients' problems.
Here's what you need to know:
1. On average, physicians scored themselves lower than their patients did. The average physician score was 74.5, and the average patient score was 94.4 on a scale of 100.
2. The authors explained that evaluations of physicians’ communication skills may need to include additional components besides patient satisfaction scores.
3. The significant difference between the physician and patient scores may be due to patient apprehension about recording negative experiences on a questionnaire, the authors said.
"Patient feedback is, and should remain, a central component of assessments of the quality of care,” the authors said. "We would further suggest that the presentation of feedback from such assessments should include support for physicians to better attune themselves to the perceptions and communication needs of their patients."
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