Evaluation of communication skills of physicians working in a training and research hospital: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Communication; is a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding in which information is exchanged, produced and interpreted. The main component of the diagnosis and treatment process between patient and physician is communication. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the communication skills of physicians according to various variables. The cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with physicians working at Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital (HNH TRH) between May and August 2012. A total of 156 physicians who completed the scales and personal information form and met the inclusion criteria constituted the sample of the study. A total of 156 physicians with a mean age of 31.73±5.88 years participated in the study. Seventy-nine (50.6%) of the physicians reported that they could not devote enough time to themselves and their families, 118 (75.6%) physicians reported that they had communication problems with their patients in the past year, and only 56 physicians (35.9%) found themselves productive in their jobs. Sixty-five physicians (41.7%) felt exhausted, 116 (74.4%) of them reported that the reason for the communication problems they had was lack of time. There was a weak positive correlation between age and overall assessment of communication skills (p<0.05). There was a positive and weak correlation between age and mental and emotional communication skills (p<0.01). Limited time and low economic income negatively affect communication skills. Lowering patient density in hospitals and giving sufficient importance to primary health care services are needed. Focusing on communication skills training in medical schools and continuing this education throughout professional life can have positive effects on the patient-physician relationship.