Communication skills training for doctors increases patient satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine changes in patients' satisfaction after their doctor has participated in a brief educational intervention on medicolegal risk management. Design/methodology/approach - Questionnaire completed by ambulatory patients, measuring satisfaction with their doctor's communication skills before and three months after the doctor participated in a three hour workshop on medicolegal risk management. 75 obstetrician/ gynaecologists (O&Gs) and 99 general practitioners (GPs) were each rated by 60 of their patients following a consultation in their clinical rooms. Findings - Patient satisfaction as evidenced by change to "complete satisfaction" with doctor's..