Patients speak: what's really important about bedside interactions with physician teams. Teach Learn Med 2007;19(2):120-7
Date
06/15/2007Pubmed ID
17564539DOI
10.1080/10401330701332193Scopus ID
2-s2.0-34447573019 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 18 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Although it may take up relatively little time, hospitalized patients' interactions with their physicians are important elements of their hospital experience.
PURPOSE: We conducted a qualitative study to explore what is important to patients about bedside interactions with their physician teams.
METHODS: We interviewed medical inpatients and used grounded theory methodology to analyze interview transcripts.
RESULTS: We recruited 17 patients from an academic medical center including a university hospital and a Veterans Administration (VA) hospital. We found that important aspects of patient-team interactions included the exchange of information, evidence of caring from their team, involvement in teaching, knowing the team members, and bedside manner. Patients also described team characteristics that were important to them such as team attributes and intrateam collaboration.
CONCLUSIONS: This model clarifies the aspects of bedside interactions that patients value and will allow physicians to focus their limited time to the benefit of their patients.
Author List
Fletcher KE, Furney SL, Stern DTAuthor
Kathlyn E. Fletcher MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultFemale
Hospitals, Veterans
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Michigan
Middle Aged
Patient Care Team
Patient Satisfaction
Patients' Rooms
Physician-Patient Relations
