Communication Skills Mentoring Program

Communication Skills in the News

Source: AAOS Headline News

Date: December 15, 2003

Patient-centered communications stronger between physicians/patients of same race says study

A study by the Commonwealth Fund and Johns Hopkins University found that when patients and physicians were the same race, office visits lasted longer and patients rated their visits as more satisfying and participatory than when patients and physicians were different races. The survey of 252 adults (142 black patients and 110 white patients) and 31 physicians (18 black doctors and 13 white doctors) found that office visits when patients and physicians were the same race lasted about 2.2 minutes longer. Patients in these situations were more likely to say they were satisfied with the visit and would recommend the physician to a friend.

For more information: http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/139/11/907

Return to 'In the News'