Communication between physician and patient in cancer patients

Abstract

The main goal of the study was to assess the doctor’s communication with the patient. The detailed goals concerned the assessment of satisfaction with the way the physician communicates with the patient, the assessment of the communication methods used, the duration of the visit to a physician’s office, understanding of the information provided to patients, the physician’s personal culture, and the subjectivity of the patient. A questionnaire developed specifically for the study objectives was used. The analysis used data from 238 questionnaires completed correctly by cancer patients treated in a specialist hospital. The database was created in Excel and the analysis was performed using Statistica software.

The analysis of the data shows that the physician’s communication with the patient is a very important aspect in the treatment process. Not all respondents were satisfied with the way the physician communicated information about the further treatment process, which increased the sense of security loss and undermined confidence in the physician’s decisions. Most patients understood the recommendations and advice provided by the physician, but there was a group of respondents who did not understand all the words used by the physician, which may lead to the non-compliance of the patient to the treatment recommendations. Patients highly appreciated the personal culture of physicians but they expected greater subjectivity in their treatment. The analysis of statements indicated that the patients’ expectations in the area of physician – patient communication are growing, which obliges physicians to broaden their knowledge in communication techniques.