Presence of observers at patient-practitioner interactions: Impact on coordination of care and methodologic implications

B. Starfield, D. Steinwachs, I. Morris, G. Bause, S. Siebert and C. Westin

American Journal of Public Health, 1979, vol. 69, issue 10, 1021-1025

Abstract: In this study in an urban practice, the presence of a neutral observer at follow-up visits enhanced the extent to which practitioners recognized problems which patients had in a previous visit. This improvement was limited to those problems which initially had been mentioned by patients as requiring follow-up. Follow-up of problems initially mentioned by practitioners as needing follow-up was not improved by the observer unless the problem was also mentioned by the patient. Investigators whose information about practitioner-patient interaction depends upon the presence of an observer should be aware of this and possibly other effects. Although routine involvement of a neutral observer in patient-practitioner interactions is probably undesirable, selected deployment of observers or similar alternatives may be useful in situations where practitioner-patient communication is inadequate.

Date: 1979
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.69.10.1021_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.69.10.1021

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