Factors affecting the relationship between physician and patient in Ahvaz Community Health Centers

Background and purpose: The patient-physician relationship is a cornerstone of a good primary healthcare. This study was aimed to study the factors affecting the relationship between physician and patient in Ahvaz community health centers. In this cross-sectional study, two-hundred participants were randomly selected from 14 community health centers in Ahwaz, 2016. Data were collected using a valid Patient-Doctor relationship questionnaire (PDRQ-9). A total score of 9-45 was considered to assess communication skill of doctors. Data were analyzed using SPSS.20 Software. The results showed that the total mean and median score of physician-patient relationship was slightly higher than moderate (mean=28.58 and median=26 out of 45). The highest score (3.36 out of 5) was related to the item "I can talk to my doctor". The lowest score (2.95 out of 5) was related to the item "My doctor is dedicated to help me." Linear regression analysis shows that the waiting time for receiving services had a negative impact on the patient-doctor relationship. By increasing the waiting time for receiving services, patients' satisfaction from communication with their physicians is decreased (B = -0.112; P = 0.041). The researchers concluded that the relationship between physician and patient in the studied health centers was moderate. It is necessary to develop managerial techniques to reduce waiting time of patients in order to improve the relationship between physicians and patients