What is effective doctor-patient communication? Review of the evidence.

Over the past 50 years, a confluence of research evidence and teaching practice has positioned effective communication as the linchpin of doctor–patient relationships, highlighting the impact on patient outcomes such as information recall, adherence to treatment plans and likelihood to sue for malpractice (e.g. Levinson et al. 1997; Zolnierek & DiMatteo 2009; Dillon 2012). More recent work has also pointed to communication as the key to prevent burnout and increase job satisfaction among doctors (Bensing et al. 2013). This chapter focuses on doctor–patient communication and takes a step back, examining the fundamental question underlying the connection between communication and outcomes: what is effective communication? Put even more simply: what works, and how do we know? The answer to these questions can help guide communication teaching, assessment, research and clinical practice.