D Doltani1, A Imran1, J Saunders2, D Harmon3. 1. Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Limerick University Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick, Ireland. 2. SCU/CSTAR @ UL, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. 3. Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Limerick University Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick, Ireland. dominicharmon@hotmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patients may be accompanied to the pain clinic consultation and these accompanying persons are relevant in the communication process. AIMS: We sought to characterize if patients were accompanied and by whom to the pain clinic. We also wished to determine the accompanying persons influence on the doctor-patient interaction. This has not been studied previously in this clinical setting. METHODS: Local ethics committee approval followed by written informed consent was obtained. Patients attending the pain clinic for the first time and review patients were included (n = 219). RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of patients (n = 46) were accompanied. Adult accompanied by spouse 19 (41.3 %) and adult child accompanied by parent 18 (39.1 %) were the most common dyads. The accompanying person's role was most frequently described by doctors as an advocate for the patient 30/46 (65.2 %) [for an adult accompanied by spouse (63.1 %)]. The influence of the main accompanying person on the patient doctor encounter was described as positive [adult accompanied by spouse (78.9 %)] [(adult accompanied by parent (94.4 %)]. CONCLUSIONS: Patients are accompanied to the pain clinic with a typically positive influence on doctor patient relationship and communication. Awareness of these issues is important in good communication in the pain clinic.
BACKGROUND:Patients may be accompanied to the pain clinic consultation and these accompanying persons are relevant in the communication process. AIMS: We sought to characterize if patients were accompanied and by whom to the pain clinic. We also wished to determine the accompanying persons influence on the doctor-patient interaction. This has not been studied previously in this clinical setting. METHODS: Local ethics committee approval followed by written informed consent was obtained. Patients attending the pain clinic for the first time and review patients were included (n = 219). RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of patients (n = 46) were accompanied. Adult accompanied by spouse 19 (41.3 %) and adult child accompanied by parent 18 (39.1 %) were the most common dyads. The accompanying person's role was most frequently described by doctors as an advocate for the patient 30/46 (65.2 %) [for an adult accompanied by spouse (63.1 %)]. The influence of the main accompanying person on the patient doctor encounter was described as positive [adult accompanied by spouse (78.9 %)] [(adult accompanied by parent (94.4 %)]. CONCLUSIONS:Patients are accompanied to the pain clinic with a typically positive influence on doctor patient relationship and communication. Awareness of these issues is important in good communication in the pain clinic.
Entities:
Keywords:
Accompanying persons; Communication; Doctor patient relationship; Pain clinic