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Although patient-provider communication is an essential aspect of the primary care visit, expectations aren’t quite reality, according to data from Samueli Integrative Health Programs, a non-profit healthcare advocacy group.
A survey of 2,000 adult patients conducted online by Harris Poll revealed that patients want to discuss more than their physical health during a primary care encounter. Forty-five percent of patients said they wish their PCPs asked more about why patients want to be healthy.
Ninety-two percent of respondents acknowledged that health is more than just their symptoms. Fifty-nine percent agreed that health also includes being happy, 56 percent said it includes being calm and relaxed, and 53 percent said it includes the ability to live independently.