There is considerable interest in the impact of doctors on patients' assessments. In this cross-sectional study, patients ( n = 4616; age range: 18-65 years) rated their level of satisfaction with primary care physicians ( n = 96). Patients and physicians were recruited from primary care clinics in the Rochester, NY metropolitan area. Patients treated by a doctor for 1 year or less rated male doctors higher than female doctors. This gender difference disappeared after 1 year, but two physician personality traits, openness and conscientiousness, were associated with patient ratings in longer patient-physician relationships. Patients say they are more satisfied with doctors who have relatively high openness and average conscientiousness. Older patients provide higher ratings than younger patients, and those with a higher medical burden rated their doctors higher. Patients' ratings of doctors depend on a number of factors. Future research on patient satisfaction and the doctor-patient relationship would benefit if the personality of the doctor was taken into account. Identifying physician personality traits that facilitate or undermine communication, trust, patient focus and patient compliance with prescribed treatments is an important priority. Learning environments can be created to reinforce certain traits and corresponding habits of mind that enhance patient satisfaction. Such a change in the culture of medical education and practice can have implications for patient care.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738399104000990?via%3Dihub