A Comparative Survey of Patients Satisfaction with two Styles of Doctor-Patient Relationship in Consultation and Treatment Processes

Doctor-patient communication style is one of the most important effective variables in treatment process. Patient satisfaction in one of the most important styles in this communication. The aim of this study was to compare the activity-passivity and mutual-participation communication styles with regard to patients satisfaction. This study was conducted using survey and observational method. Data were collected from 40 doctors and 200 patients in two hospitals and twenty private clinics in Isfahan, between December and January 2012. The subjects were selected using available sampling method. The instruments used for gathering data were Doctor-Patient Nonverbal Communication Instrument (D-PNCI) and Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18). Principle component analysis (PCA) method and T-test for independent groups were used for data analysis. Significant differences were found between activity-passivity and mutual-participation communication styles of doctor-patient communication, with regard to general satisfaction in general (P<0.05), and with regard to components of technical quality (P<0.05), interpersonal manner (P<0.01), communication (P<0.01), and time spent with doctor (P<0.05). Hierarchical regression analysis showed that doctor-patient relationship style explained for 52.6% of the variance of patients satisfaction. Doctor-patient communicational style was found to be an effective factor of patients satisfaction. Mutual-participation relationship style resulted in higher patient satisfaction, compared with activity-passivity communication style. So paying attention to creating and strengthening mutual-participation communication model to increase patients satisfaction seems to be necessary.