Date of Award

1-1-2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Kristine Morehouse

Abstract

This study explored the similarities and differences in what physicians and patients perceive to be patient-centered care and how this impacts that patient’s overall satisfaction with the care that they receive. The study included a literature review with theoretical approaches to communication and previous research studies conducted between patients and health care providers during the patient’s office visit interactions with their provider; over the continuum of ongoing care with their provider; and how the development of relationship or lack of relationship impacts the patients’ overall sense of trust with their provider. Specifically this study applied the social penetration and communication accommodation theories to better understand how interactions between the provider and patient may predict how the relationship between the two parties moves forward over time. The research was completed through convening two focus groups, one comprised of a group of individuals to obtain their perspective and experiences as patients, and the other group comprised of primary care providers in which they provided their unique perspective as a medical provider in health care. The research concluded that patients and providers share some similarities, but that there are often differences in the expectations that patients and providers have during their interactions. This generally represented each party having separate expectations during their visit together, and in the absence of open communication and inquiry, there can be a sense of patients in particular feeling that their needs are not being met which then leads to dissatisfaction with their health provider.

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