Patient's perception of quality patient-provider communication

PURPOSE: To develop a model of patients' perception of quality patient-healthcare provider communication. METHODS/SAMPLE: Fifteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis participated in in-depth, audiorecorded interviews. Following transcription verification, interviews were analyzed using constant comparative analysis to identify primary themes and develop a model of patients' perception of quality patient-healthcare provider communication. FINDINGS: The participants described a multifaceted, dynamic process of quality patient-healthcare provider communication involving the interrelationship between appropriate time and 4 key communication exchanges: patient honesty when explaining symptoms, patients asking questions and offering opinions, healthcare providers asking questions and offering opinions, and healthcare providers disseminating information. CONCLUSION: By understanding patient-healthcare provider communication from the patient perspective within the rubric of this model, healthcare providers can adapt interactions with patients with rheumatoid arthritis to incorporate dimensions of the exchange that their patients feel create effective communication.