Korean J Med Educ.  2017 Mar;29(1):33-39. 10.3946/kjme.2017.51.

Medical students' and patients' perceptions of patient-centred attitude

• Hur Y
• Cho AR
• Choi CJ

• KMID: 2413874
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2017.51

Abstract

PURPOSE
Patient-centred care can increase patient satisfaction and lead to better clinical outcomes for them, such as improved physical status and higher health-related quality of life. However, doctors' and patients' views on patient-centred attitude might differ and could be affected by culture and the community environment. To clarify the differences in primary care patients' and senior medical students' perceptions of medical students' patient-centred attitude.
METHODS
A total of 1,025 subjects-827 patients from primary care institutions and 198 fourth-year medical students from a medical college in South Korea-completed the Patient Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS). The students completed the self-reported questionnaire at the end of their clinical clerkship. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variances were conducted in SPSS version 21.0.
RESULTS
Firstly, sharing subscale scores were higher among patients than among medical students (students, 3.61 vs. patients, 3.76; p<0.001), but secondly, caring subscale scores were higher among medical students (students, 4.18 vs. patients, 3.82; p<0.001). Thirdly, PPOS total scores were higher among medical students (students, 3.90 vs. patients, 3.79; p=0.001). Finally, male students had the lowest sharing scores (F=6.811, p<0.001) and female students showed the highest PPOS total scores (F=5.805, p=0.001).
CONCLUSION
Significant differences between medical students' and patients' perceptions of medical students' patient-centred attitudes suggest the necessity of educational efforts to overcome the gap between the groups.

Keyword

Physician-patient relations; Clinical education; Professional development

MeSH Terms

Adult
*Attitude of Health Personnel
Clinical Clerkship
Education, Medical, Undergraduate
Empathy
Female
Humans
Male
Patient Participation
*Patient Satisfaction
*Patient-Centered Care
*Physician-Patient Relations
*Primary Health Care
Republic of Korea
Schools, Medical
Self Report
Sex Factors
*Students, Medical
Young Adult