What Hong Kong patients want and expect from their doctors

Two studies surveyed what Hong Kong patients expect and want in relationshi ps with physicians. The Ist asked about patient satisfaction with doctor ma nner, consideration, and concern. Patients were more satisfied with doctor manner than with doctor consideration. Doctor concern was seldom expressed. Overall patients were not dissatisfied with their doctors, however. Other factors like convenience and cost seemed more important. The second study a sked participants to note which doctor behaviors they expected, were the ba sis for choosing a doctor, caused satisfaction, and caused dissatisfaction, and they wanted doctors to change. The behaviors were grouped into 4 categ ories: patient centered, doctor centered, doctor technical skill, and other . Participants consistently chose patient centered least frequently. The co mmunication behaviors most valued by Hong Kong patients seem to be doctor c entered. Other studies show a preference for participation and patient-cent ered communication, but these studies show that their absence is not an imp ortant influence on what patients want and expect in Hong Kong.