Patients’ trust in physiciants as an antecedent of satisfaction with medical servcies

Abstract

Trust in the patient-physician relationship represents the power to shape behaviors of both sides. It may have also the value of being the precondition of patient satisfaction with medical services. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of trust as an antecedent of patient satisfaction, based on the nationwide, representative sample. The multiple regression analysis has been applied. The study shows that all three identified dimensions of trust are important and statistically significant determinants of patient satisfaction with medical services. However, it is strongly dependent on confidence in the competence of physicians than the belief in their honesty and kindness. The research contribution is both of cognitive and utilitarian value. It helps to understand pitfalls of the satisfaction’s erosion in the studied relationship and to effectively counteract them.