COMMUNICATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND THEIR PATIENTS IN ANONCOLOGY SETTING

The physician-patient relationship has critical importance in the qual ity of medical care, especially in the oncology setting. Of particular interest over the past two decades has been the communication between physicians and their patients. It is understood that communication is related to patient and physician satisfaction as well as other medica l outcomes. However, despite this interest and attention, investigator s have only recently begun to assess the communication between physici ans and patients from the patient's point of view. Additionally, previ ous investigations have primarily relied upon retrospective reports of the interaction from patients or physicians. The current investigatio n assessed physician-patient communication in an oncology setting, bot h as it was occurring and following the interaction. The units of anal ysis included participant ratings as well as those of trained observer s. Findings revealed that physicians and patients disagree as to the v alence of the messages which transpired Additionally, results suggest that it is the patients who distort the messages in the positive direc tion. Research and clinical implications of this disagreement and posi tivity bias are discussed.