ABSTRACT
Patient satisfaction is strongly influenced by the doctor’s communication style. Compliance is strongly influenced by the effectiveness of doctor-patient communication and by patient satisfaction. Good communication between doctor and patient is essential for effective healthcare. Effective doctor-patient communication has a strong influence on whether the patient is satisfied with the outcome of a consultation and, in turn, on the degree to which they adhere to the advice they are given. Patient satisfaction and doctor-patient communication are both major predictors of adherence; they have been linked in Ley’s cognitive hypothesis model. Friendly and informal (affiliative) styles are associated with higher patient satisfaction than are formal, business-like interactions. Informal, affiliative styles lead to greater patient satisfaction than do formal, business-like styles. The age and intelligence of the patient have little bearing on what is forgotten after a consultation. A doctor’s communication style is an important predictor of patient satisfaction.
