Open AccessFour Physician Communication Styles in Routine Japanese Outpatient Medical Encounters
Author(s) -
Taylor Slingsby Brian,
Yamada Seiji,
Akabayashi Akira
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00520.x
Subject(s) - medicine , context (archaeology) , family medicine , nurse practitioners , outpatient clinic , nursing , qualitative research , medical care , health care , paleontology , social science , sociology , economics , biology , economic growth
BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored how physicians approach medical encounters in Japan. OBJECTIVE: This study examined how Japanese physicians conduct routine medical encounters in the context of outpatient care to patients with nonmalignant disorders. DESIGN: Qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews and direct observation. SETTING: The outpatient department of a general hospital located in an urban area of Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Physicians and nurses providing care and patients receiving care for nonmalignant disorders. RESULTS: A 2‐dimensional model was developed, with patient communication (how physician interacted with patients) along 1 axis, and nurse communication (how physicians collaborated with nursing staff) along the other axis. Four physician communication styles (individually adaptive, individually defined, collaboratively adaptive, and collaboratively defined) were identified as typical ways in which the Japanese physicians in the sample interacted with patients and nurses during routine medical encounters. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest the need for a multiprovider‐patient model of medical communication among physician, nurse, and patient. Further research is needed to establish the applicability of this model to the communication styles of physicians in other countries.