The Impact of Trust, Interaction, and Empathy in Doctor-Patient Relationship on Patient Satisfaction

Objective: This study is designed to explore the impact of trust, interaction and empathy in doctor-patient relationship on patient satisfaction.

Method: This study utilizes questionnaires with target patients in Taiwan as the intended respondents. A total of 446 valid questionnaires were collected for relevant analysis using regression models.

Results: Trust (t=4.215, p<0.001), interaction (t=4.997, p<0.001) and empathy (t=8.474, p<0.001) have shown significant positive correlation with patient satisfaction (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Building a positive doctor-patient relationship would not only lead to improved patient satisfaction but also reduce the likelihood of medical malpractice. Therefore, steps should be taken to enforce the trust, interaction and empathy in doctor-patient relationships, with patient-centered services. In the healthcare service value network, the integration of healthcare service resources ought to be emphasized in order to foster better doctor-patient relationships.

Author(s): Yu-Li Lan and Yu-Hua Yan

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