The presence of companions during emergency department evaluation and its impact on perceptions of clinician-patient communication.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Research in outpatient setting suggests that the presence of companions during a medical encounter can improve clinician-patient communication. It is not known if the presence of companions has a similar effect in the acutely stressful context of the ED. This study tested whether the presence of companions in the ED relate to stronger clinician-patient communication. We further explored effect modification by demographic factors (race/ethnicity, education and language) thought to compromise communication.

Methods

Participants were drawn from an observational cohort study of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (n=876) recruited from an urban academic medical centre between 2013 and 2016. Patient interviews occurred both in the ED and post-ED discharge;

SUBMITTER: Cornelius T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6335085 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature