Patient-provider communication on clinical outcomes, healthcare resource utilisation, engagement, and clinical trial recruitment of dermatology patients

Abstract

Background: Patient-provider communication occurs in daily clinical encounters and is important to improve patient outcomes. The perception of high-quality patient-provider communication is associated with better patient outcomes. Therefore, understanding which factors may be associated with the perception of high-quality patient-provider communication is important to improve outcomes like engagement and disease severity.

Objectives: Among dermatology patients, this thesis aimed to: 1) determine the impact of patients’ physical and mental health status on the perception of patient-provider communication, 2) determine the impact of patient-provider communication on healthcare resource utilisation, and 3) determine the effect of tailored delivery of education on engagement, disease severity, and clinical trial recruitment.

Methods: Part 1 (aims 1 and 2) aims to determine the factors that may be associated with patients’ perception of patient-provider communication quality. Part 2 (aim 3) aims to determine the effect of tailored delivery of education on engagement, disease outcomes, and clinical trial recruitment.

Results: In part 1, symptoms of psychological distress and depression as well as lower levels of mental or physical health functioning were associated with the perception of low-quality patient-provider communication. Furthermore, the perception of lower quality patient-provider communication was associated with greater healthcare utilisation. In part 2, compared to patients who received non-tailored delivery of education, patients who received tailored delivery of education had an overall greater level of engagement, medication adherence, clinical trial recruitment, and patient knowledge, but there was no difference in disease severity.

Implications: For part 1, the implication is that it is important for providers to be adaptable and supportive in their communication style and to develop novel methods to improve patient experience with the patient-provider interaction to minimize the unnecessary overutilisation of healthcare resources. For part 2, the implication for practice is that it is important for providers to consider how we disseminate educational materials to optimise patient outcomes.