Doctors’ and Patients’ Perceptions of Impacts of Doctors’ Communication and Empathy Skills on Doctor–Patient Relationships During COVID-19

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance of Chinese doctors may have led to improved doctor–patient relationships (DPRs). However, it is unclear how doctors and patients perceived the impact of doctors’ communication and empathy skills on DPRs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To examine the perceptions of doctors and patients on how doctors’ communication skills and empathy skills influence DPRs during COVID-19. Main Measures: Doctors’ and patients’ perceptions of doctors’ communication skills were measured using the Chinese version of the SEGUE Framework. To measure empathy skills and DPRs, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy and Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire were administered to doctors, and the Consultation and Relational Empathy Measure and Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire were administered to patients. Results: A total of 902 doctors and 1432 patients in China were recruited during the pandemic via online or offline surveys (overall response rate of 69.8%). Both doctors and patients rated doctors’ empathy skills as more impactful on DPRs than communication skills. Doctors believed that only their empathy skills influenced DPRs. But patients believed that there was a significant bi-directional relationship between doctors’ communication and empathy skills and these two skills interacted to directly and indirectly influence DPRs, and doctors’ empathy had a greater mediating effect than their communication. Conclusions: During COVID-19, there were both similarities and differences between Chinese doctors’ and patients’ views on how doctors’ communication and empathy skills influenced DPRs. The greater effect of doctors’ empathy skills suggests that both doctors and patients attach more importance to doctors’ empathy in doctor–patient interactions. The bi-directional effect on patient outcomes suggests that both doctors’ communication and empathy skills are important to patients’ perceptions of DPRs.