What Is the Impression of Physicians and Medical Care from the Viewpoint of Patients and Physicians? For Building a Better Relationship between Patients and Physicians

Object: Clarify the commonalities and differences in perspective toward physicians and medical care between patients and physicians. Methods: 9 items questionnaires, created in a previous study regarding physicians and medical care, were sent to primary care physicians to compare the perspective of physician and medical care by patients which became clear in previous study. Results: Among the 408 questionnaires sent, 301 responses were received (response rate 73.8%). Physicians thought that the profession of physicians is a pressing job and hence physicians can be trusted similar to tendency of patients in past research. As for the state of the profession of physicians, the tendency among physicians to consider the profession as that of service industry not as a scared profession was indicated. Discussion: For both patients and physicians, it was indicated that common awareness exits in them regarding the labor and behavior of physicians. Although there was an awareness that there is a tendency for physicians to consider the profession as part of service industry and for patients to consider being a physician as a sacred profession, it was indicated that the viewpoint toward physicians was not uniform for both groups. Conclusions: It can be thought that it is important to understand that there are differences in sentiment among physicians and patients regarding physicians and medical care for building a better relationship between patients and physicians.