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Family Practice Vol. 7, No. 1, 28-33
© Oxford University Press 1990

research-article

Patient-Centredness in the Consultation. 2: Does it Really Make a Difference?

RONALD J HENBEST and MORIA STEWART*

Department of Family Medicine, The Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA)
*Department of Family Medicine, The University of Western Ontario London, Canada

Correspondence to Dr: R J Henbest, The University of Alberta Family Clinic, Royal Alexandra Hospital, 10240 Kingsway Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5H 3V9

Henbest R J and Stewart M. Patient-centredness in the consultation. 2: does it really make a difference? Family Practice 1990; 7: 28–33.

The major purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that patient-centredness in the consultation was associated with improved patient outcomes. Patient-centred care was defined as care in which the doctor responded to the patient in such a way as to allow the patient to express all of his or her reasons for coming, including: symptoms, thoughts, feelings and expectations. The study took place in the offices of six family doctors. All consultations were audiotaped and the patients completed a question naire and two structured interviews with the investigator: one immediately following the consultation and the other two weeks later. Patient-centredness was found to be associated with the doctor having ascertained the patient's reasons for coming and with resolution of the patient's concerns. It was also associated with the patient feeling understood and resolution of the patient's symptoms until confounding variables were controlled. The results of the multivariate analysis suggested that the impact of a patient-centred approach may be part of a package of care, consisting of a doctor whose overall practice allows for the development of personal relationships with patients over time through continuity of care.


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