The complexity of physician-patient communication and its impact in non-medical fields. A surgical oncology approach.

Abstract

Physician-patient communication is essential for determining high-quality healthcare, as this may influence patients' satisfaction with care, their understanding of medical information, coping skills specific to a disease, and raise treatment adherence. In the field of surgical oncology, most healthcare communication develops around the disease, treatment, and healthcare planning, overlooking psychological functioning and patients' well-being. To address this issue and avoid unmet patient needs, patient-centered communication requires specific skills designed to enable physicians to identify, acknowledge and respond to patients' thoughts and feelings over an extended period. The aim of this study was to investigate the integration of patient-physician communication in a non-medical system made up of patient-physician communication, perceived healthcare quality, and the image of a physician or a healthcare organization with a specific focus on surgical oncology. The sample comprised 157 breast cancer patients who reported highly satisfactory levels of perceived communication skills of physicians and the quality of services. Moreover, patients expressed their willingness to recommend these physicians to their family and friends, which further contributes to the positive image of physicians. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize the ongoing need for continuous attention to the communication skills of surgical oncologists, as each cancer patient's experience is unique and necessitates a personalized form of interaction.