Patients are not nearly as assertive during conversations with healthcare providers as often believed, according to new findings from Nivel. Although people today are generally better informed, researchers conclude that they “do not consistently take initiative, ask relatively few questions, and rarely volunteer all their concerns or preferences”.
The study analysed around 18,000 recorded consultations between patients and various healthcare professionals. The professional group ranges from general practitioners, pharmacists, midwives, nurses and specialists. These recordings are part of a database that has been maintained for fifty years.
Because patients appear less self-assured than previously assumed, Nivel researchers stress the importance of healthcare providers actively supporting them. This includes creating opportunities for patients to ask questions and offering clear explanations.
Communication during consultations is becoming increasingly crucial, the researchers add, partly because the issues patients bring to their doctors are growing more complex.
@anp | NEWSBRAINPORT
