Patient-Provider Interaction

In this research area, we study the effects of communication between patients and providers.

Communication between health providers and patients consistently proves to be a key factor in explaining patient outcomes such as satisfaction, recall of information, medication adherence, self-management and -consequently- health. Research in health communication therefore studies patient-provider interaction with the eventual aim to assist providers and patients in improving the quality of their interactions, in the consultation room and beyond.
In this theme, we aim to understand the areas of effective patient-provider interaction, its determinants and outcomes, to better understand the extent to which they contribute to good health. Moreover, robust scientific evidence on how online activities, such as Internet usage, affect the communication with health care providers during consultations and patient outcomes is lacking. In this theme, we also aim to contribute to our understanding of the effects of online activities and digital tools on patient-provider interaction.