Physician-Patient Communication: Perception and Practice among Doctors Working in Tanta University Outpatient Clinics, Egypt

SS, Shalaby; SM, Saied; HA, Zayed

doi:10.21608/ejom.2019.47867

Physician-Patient Communication: Perception and Practice among Doctors Working in Tanta University Outpatient Clinics, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Tanta University, Egypt

² Department of Public Health and Community Medicine , Tanta University, Egyp

³ Department of Occupational Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt

10.21608/ejom.2019.47867

Abstract

Introduction: Effective physician-patient communication plays a crucial role in establishing a successful
therapeutic outcome. Having good quality communication skills is vital for doctors to build up agreeable
doctor-patient connection. In Egypt, the discipline of effective doctor-patient communication is still
underestimated Aim of work: This study aimed to assess physicians’ perception concerning the significance
of effective physician-patient communication and to evaluate their actual practice and patient communication
skills. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working at outpatient
clinics at Tanta University Hospitals. Data collection was done using a self-administered questionnaire sheet
conveyed to 275 randomly selected physicians working in different outpatient clinics. Physicians’ perception
concerning effective communication was assessed by means of self-assessment questions created by Samuel
and Albert, and the level of physician-patient communication practice was assessed using the adapted
Kalamazoo Checklist. Results: The study included 275 physicians; 48.6% of participants had highly perceived
the significance of effective communication. ‘Effective doctor-patient communication is highly associated
with increased patient satisfaction’ showed the highest perception among physicians (94.5%). The medical
curriculum followed by media and internet were the commonest sources of participants` information. About
41.8% of participant physicians had ‘good’ communication with a higher percentage among female doctors.
Significant positive correlations were found between physicians’ years of experience and communication skills
practice competencies. Conclusion: About half of the physicians highly perceived the significance of effective
doctor-patient communication and more than two-fifths of them had good doctor-patient communication
skills. Enforcement of training courses concerning effective physician-patient communication is substantially
recommended for both undergraduate students and graduated physicians.

Keywords