• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.83-103
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• 2009

The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of physician's communication styles and quality, and physician-patient relationship on patient satisfaction for improving physician's communication which is one of factors determining service quality in health care services, and providing the suggestion for building the positive physician-patient relationship. Data were collected from 341 inpatients in 13 general hospitals and university hospitals located in Busan Metropolitan City and Kyeongsang-do area using structured self-administered questionnaires. Major results of the empirical analysis are as follows; First, mutual-opened-cooperative physician-patient relationship, patient's communication receptive attitude, patient-oriented physician's communication style, and quality were significantly varied by respondents' characteristics such as age, consensual, job, and income. Second, empathy, patient's communication receptive attitude, physician-patient relationship, and patient satisfaction were significantly varied by respondents' medical-related conditions. Third, there was a significant correlation between active communication receptive attitude of patient and mutual-opened-cooperative physician-patient relationship. Fourth, patient-oriented physician's communication style and physician-patient relationship were found to have positive influence on total communication quality and effectiveness and empathy facet of communication quality both. Finally, patient-oriented physician's communication style, empathy, active communication receptive attitude of patient, and mutual-opened-cooperative physician-patient relationship were found to have positive influence on patient satisfaction. This research findings suggest that putting emphasis on effective physician's communication and enhancing positive physician-patient relationship are crucial for marketing activities and customer satisfaction management in health care settings.