The Association of Name Recognition, Empathy Perception, and Satisfaction With Resident Physicians Care Amongst Patients in an Academic Emergency Department

Abstract

Background: Recognition of the providers name, provider empathy, and the patients satisfaction with their care are patient-provider rapport measures. This study aimed to determine: 1) resident physicians name recognition by patients in the emergency department; and 2) name recognition in association with patient perception of the residents empathy and their satisfaction with the residents care.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study. A patient recognizing a resident physician was defined as the patient remembering a residents name, understanding the level of training, and understanding a residents role in patient care. A patients perception of resident physician empathy was measured by the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perception of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE). Patient satisfaction of the resident was measured utilizing a real-time satisfaction survey. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to determine the association amongst patient recognition of resident physicians, JSPPPE, and patient satisfaction after adjustments were made for demographics and resident training level.

Results: We enrolled 30 emergency medicine resident physicians and 191 patients. Only 26% of studied patients recognized resident physicians. High JSPPPE scores were given by 39% of patients recognizing resident physicians compared to 5% of those who were not recognized (P = 0.013). High patient satisfaction scores were recorded in 31% of patients who recognized resident physicians compared to 7% who did not (P = 0.008). The adjusted odds ratios of patient recognition of resident physicians to high JSPPPE and high satisfaction scores were 5.29 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33 - 21.02, P = 0.018) and 6.12 (1.84 - 20.38, P = 0.003) respectively.

Conclusions: Patient recognition of resident physicians is low in our study. However, patient recognition of resident physicians is associated with a higher patient perception of physician empathy and higher patient satisfaction. Our study suggests that resident education advocating for patient recognition of their healthcare providers status needs to be emphasized as part of patient-centered health care.

J Clin Med Res. 2023;15(4):225-232
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr4901