6 simple ways to improve the doctor-patient relationship in your medical practice
The doctor-patient relationship is at the heart of medicine, and for nearly 79% of physicians, it’s one of the best parts of the job. Yet ongoing physician burnout and persistent healthcare staffing shortages make it challenging to form meaningful connections with patients based on trust and open communication. Still, the relationship between physicians and patients matters. This is true for in-person interactions as well as telehealth appointments.. In fact, a positive physician-patient relationship is associated with the following:
Better health outcomes and functional health (with potential benefits to value-based payments)
Fewer lawsuits
High disclosure of information
Patient adherence and satisfaction
For all of these reasons (and more such as reducing patient attrition and improving point-of-service collections), it’s important to notice when there might be a disconnect and take proactive steps to address it. Here are six ways to improve the doctor-patient relationship in your medical practice:
1. Develop strategies to increase workplace efficiency. When you embrace efficiency-driven workflows in your medical practice, you’ll inevitably have more time to focus on direct patient care. We’re talking about leveraging electronic data exchange, customizable clinical encounters, electronic faxing, outsource revenue cycle management partnerships, and more. Every minute you save on an administrative task is another minute you can use to answer patient questions and build rapport to improve the doctor-patient relationship.
2. Focus on patient education. Taking the time to educate patients can deepen your relationship with them. The good news is that education doesn’t necessarily need to take place during the face-to-face visit. You can also provide educational resources through the patient portal as an added benefit. However, be sure to use a trusted source (e.g., Medline, the U.S. National Library of Medicine® (NLM) premier bibliographic database) and provide the resources in multiple languages.
3. Provide, bill for new add-on E/M services. Code G2211 (which became effective January 1, 2024) is meant to help physicians generate revenue for building an effective and trusting longitudinal relationship with patients. This includes serving as the continuing focal point for all of the patients’ healthcare services needs and providing ongoing medical care related to a patient’s single, serious condition or complex condition. Here are some tips to report this code correctly in your medical practice.
4. Focus on shared decision making. Shared decision making occurs when physicians and patients collaborate to make evidence-informed and value-congruent medical decisions. This approach can be extremely helpful when fostering a healthy doctor-patient relationship. It’s also important as more physicians integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical care workflows. Shared decision making becomes an important part of building patient trust when using AI in clinical care.
5. Show empathy. Not surprisingly, a physician’s ability to show empathy can greatly impact the physician-patient relationship. The best ways to show empathy? Pay attention to the patient’s feelings and emotions. Listen intently and completely. Avoid interruptions. Use open and receptive body language. Convey an understanding of their perspective. Put them at ease and provide care consistent with their needs.
6. Ease into the visit. Even though physicians are almost always pressed for time, taking a few moments to pause and make small talk with the patient before beginning the clinical encounter can go a long way in terms of enhancing the relationship. The same is true for asking what’s most important to accomplish during the visit rather than assuming a specific agenda. What bothers the patient the most? Why did they make the appointment? What do they need? What do they hope to accomplish? Each of these open-ended questions are a great way to begin the conversation.
Looking ahead: Factors affecting doctor patient relationships
Like any relationship, the one between doctors and patients will continue to evolve over time commensurate with industry trends. For example, one of the factors affecting doctor patient relationships is price transparency. Patients want to feel comfortable asking questions about the cost of care without fear of being judged.
Another factor is that patients have more access to information about healthcare treatments and diagnoses than ever before. Unfortunately, some of this information is inaccurate. Patients want to turn to their doctor for help in identifying and avoiding conflicting and questionable information.
A third reason is technology. Remote patient monitoring and wearables make it possible for patients to collect copious amounts of data for analysis. Patients will increasingly expect physicians to tailor recommendations and personalize treatment plans based on insights gleaned from patient-generated data.
Physicians who prioritize the patient relationship will be able to navigate these changes with greater ease. Learn how edgeMED can help and be sure to check the Healthy Snacks blog for more expert insights, best practices and industry trends.
