Presentation
“I felt like an active participant in my own care”: Understanding Patient Perspectives of Connection and Disconnection for Clinical System Redesign
SessionWednesday Poster Session
DescriptionBackground: Patient–clinician connection is associated with improved patient outcomes and clinician well-being, yet the concept remains inconsistently defined, and patient perspectives on disconnection are poorly understood. To inform human factors-driven healthcare redesign, this study examined how hospitalized patients conceptualize connection and disconnection with their physicians.
Methods: Adult patients at an academic medical center completed two open-ended survey questions describing experiences of feeling connected or disconnected from their physicians. Responses (N = 173) were analyzed using a hybrid deductive–inductive thematic analysis. Coding began with the nine theoretical dimensions of patient–clinician connection while allowing new themes to emerge.
Results: Patient experiences largely supported the existing theoretical framework. Shared Mind, Caring, and Full Presence were most frequently associated with connection, whereas Respect, Full Presence, and Shared Mind were most often associated with disconnection. Communication clarity emerged as a potentially distinct relational dimension. Participants also identified system-level antecedents, including continuity of care, provider accessibility, and care coordination, and described consequences including adherence, confidence, and future care-seeking.
Conclusions: Patient–clinician connection extends beyond interpersonal behavior to emerge from the broader clinical work system. These findings provide actionable targets for human factors interventions aimed at redesigning clinical environments, workflows, and care processes to strengthen meaningful patient–clinician relationships.
Methods: Adult patients at an academic medical center completed two open-ended survey questions describing experiences of feeling connected or disconnected from their physicians. Responses (N = 173) were analyzed using a hybrid deductive–inductive thematic analysis. Coding began with the nine theoretical dimensions of patient–clinician connection while allowing new themes to emerge.
Results: Patient experiences largely supported the existing theoretical framework. Shared Mind, Caring, and Full Presence were most frequently associated with connection, whereas Respect, Full Presence, and Shared Mind were most often associated with disconnection. Communication clarity emerged as a potentially distinct relational dimension. Participants also identified system-level antecedents, including continuity of care, provider accessibility, and care coordination, and described consequences including adherence, confidence, and future care-seeking.
Conclusions: Patient–clinician connection extends beyond interpersonal behavior to emerge from the broader clinical work system. These findings provide actionable targets for human factors interventions aimed at redesigning clinical environments, workflows, and care processes to strengthen meaningful patient–clinician relationships.
Event Type
Poster
TimeWednesday, October 21st5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Location
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