The Effects of Physicians' Communication and Empathy Ability on Physician-Patient Relationship from Physicians' and Patients' Perspectives

Abstract

Physician communication (PC) is central to influencing physician-patient relationship (PPR), and physician empathy (PE) is central to PC. A comprehensive and objective assessment of the mechanisms underlying PPR from the two-way perspective of physicians and patients are important for social development. However, the relationship between these three variables under the two-way perspective is not clear. To examine the effectiveness of PC in predicting PPR from a two-way perspective of physicians and patients and the underlying mechanisms that influence PPR. We selected 2665 physicians and 2983 patients in China and examined the effect of physician empathy on PPR and the mediating role of PC between PE and PPR using structural equation modeling. The results of the physician self-assessment showed that the link between PC and PPR was not significant, while the results of the patient other assessment showed that physician communication was not only effective in predicting the doctor-patient relationship but also mediated the relationship between physician empathy and PPR; further analysis of the underlying mechanisms affecting PPR revealed that the results of the physician self-assessment showed that PC mediated the relationship between perspective-taking and PPR; however, the results of the patient other assessment showed that physician However, patient ratings showed that PC mediated the relationship between perspective-taking and PPR, as well as between empathic concern and PPR. However, patient ratings indicate that PC mediates the relationship between perspective-taking and PPR and between empathic concern and the PPR.

Keywords: Empathic concern; Perspective-taking; Physician communication; Physician empathy; Physician–patient relationship.

Fig. 1

a The model of physician communication mediating between physician empathy and physician–patient relationship from the physicians perspectives. b The model of physician communication mediating between physician empathy and physician–patient relationship from the patients perspectives. *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001, the same below. All regression coefficients were standardized. Single-arrow straight lines indicated predicted relationships, and double arrows indicated correlations. Solid lines indicated significant regression relationships, and dashed lines indicated regression paths that were not significant, the same below

Fig. 2

a The structural equation model of physicians’ evaluation perspective-taking and empathic concern in relation to physician communication and physician–patient relationship. b The structural equation model of patients’ evaluation perspective-taking and empathic concern in relation to physician communication and physician–patient relationship. The data in parentheses are the path coefficients of physician communication between perspective-taking and physician–patient relationship and empathic concern and physician–patient relationship, respectively, the same below