BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found that up to 15% of clinical encounters are experienced as difficult by clinicians. OBJECTIVES: Explore patient and physician characteristics associated with being considered "difficult" and assess the impact on patient outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred fifty adults presenting to a primary care walk-in clinic with a physical symptom. MAIN MEASURES: Pre-visit surveys assessed symptom characteristics, expectations, functional status (Medical Outcome Study SF-6) and the presence of mental disorders [Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders, (PRIME-MD)]. Post-visit surveys assessed satisfaction (Rand-9), unmet expectations and trust. Two-week assessment included symptom outcome (gone, better, same, worse), functional status and satisfaction. After each visit, clinicians rated encounter difficulty using the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire (DDPRQ). Clinicians also completed the Physician's Belief Scale, a measure of psychosocial orientation. KEY RESULTS: Among the 750 subjects, 133 (17.8%) were perceived as difficult. "Difficult" patients were less likely to fully trust (RR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.77-0.99) or be fully satisfied (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62-0.98) with their clinician, and were more likely to have worsening of symptoms at 2 weeks (RR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57-0.97). Patients involved in "difficult encounters" had more than five symptoms (RR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.3-2.3), endorsed recent stress (RR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-3.2) and had a depressive or anxiety disorder (RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3-4.2). Physicians involved in difficult encounters were less experienced (12 years vs. 9 years, p = 0.0002) and had worse psychosocial orientation scores (77 vs. 67, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Both patient and physician characteristics are associated with "difficult" encounters, and patients involved in such encounters have worse short-term outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found that up to 15% of clinical encounters are experienced as difficult by clinicians. OBJECTIVES: Explore patient and physician characteristics associated with being considered "difficult" and assess the impact on patient outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred fifty adults presenting to a primary care walk-in clinic with a physical symptom. MAIN MEASURES: Pre-visit surveys assessed symptom characteristics, expectations, functional status (Medical Outcome Study SF-6) and the presence of mental disorders [Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders, (PRIME-MD)]. Post-visit surveys assessed satisfaction (Rand-9), unmet expectations and trust. Two-week assessment included symptom outcome (gone, better, same, worse), functional status and satisfaction. After each visit, clinicians rated encounter difficulty using the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire (DDPRQ). Clinicians also completed the Physician's Belief Scale, a measure of psychosocial orientation. KEY RESULTS: Among the 750 subjects, 133 (17.8%) were perceived as difficult. "Difficult" patients were less likely to fully trust (RR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.77-0.99) or be fully satisfied (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62-0.98) with their clinician, and were more likely to have worsening of symptoms at 2 weeks (RR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57-0.97). Patients involved in "difficult encounters" had more than five symptoms (RR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.3-2.3), endorsed recent stress (RR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-3.2) and had a depressive or anxiety disorder (RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3-4.2). Physicians involved in difficult encounters were less experienced (12 years vs. 9 years, p = 0.0002) and had worse psychosocial orientation scores (77 vs. 67, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Both patient and physician characteristics are associated with "difficult" encounters, and patients involved in such encounters have worse short-term outcomes.
Authors: R C Smith; G Osborn; R B Hoppe; J S Lyles; L Van Egeren; R Henry; D Sego; P Alguire; B Stoffelmayr Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 1991 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 5.128
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Authors: Perry G An; Linda Baier Manwell; Eric S Williams; Neda Laiteerapong; Roger L Brown; Joseph S Rabatin; Mark D Schwartz; P J Lally; Mark Linzer Journal: J Fam Pract Date: 2013-01 Impact factor: 0.493
Authors: Joshua J Fenton; Anthony Jerant; Richard L Kravitz; Klea D Bertakis; Daniel J Tancredi; Elizabeth M Magnan; Peter Franks Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2017-09-12 Impact factor: 5.128