Introduction:
Effective communication between physician and patient has a positive effect on different aspects of medicine and increases patient's satisfaction. Nowadays, communicative skills training to medical professionals in order to foster knowledge, attitude and communicative skills is emphasized. Now, overfocusing on technical cares and its expansion leads to use of ineffective communication methods traditionally, therefore key problems and main patient’s issues remain unclear. This study was done in order to assess and analyze dental graduate students' communicative skills and the related effect on patients’ satisfaction.
Materials and Methods:
30 first year graduate students of dentistry and 30 patients of them were selected randomly. Film taking, interaction analysis system (IAS) and observation checklist were used for gathering data. A questionnaire was used for patient’s satisfaction. Content validity was used for validity and Alfa test for reliability. Data were analysed by descriptive, analytical statistics using SPSS software.
Results:
According to results, 43% of students in all of the communication skills fields, 63% in the socio-emotional skills, 20% in diagnostic field and 27% in the consultation & education field were in a desired level. In all of the assessment fields, by increasing communication skills, the patients’ satisfaction increased. ANOVA test showed significant difference between mean of patients’ satisfaction by communication skills leveling the all of fields. ANOVA in all the fields and in every 3 fields showed significant difference between mean of patients’ satisfaction score (P<0.05). Correlation test also showed linear correlation between communication skills and satisfaction. Correlation coefficient for communication skills in all of the fields and socio-emotional field was 0.01 and in the other two fields of diagnosis and consultation was 0.05 and significant. The linear equation supported this correlation too.
Conclusion:
Communication skills are integral parts of physicians’ clinical skills. We can increase the patients’ satisfaction by proper use of verbal and nonverbal communication skills such as respect to patients, sympathy, using open-ended questions, active listening and using understandable vocabulary. These skills can also increase effectiveness of medical interview and treatment too. It is obvious that medical education administrators and instructors should plan training courses for fostering communication skills for medical students and staff.