GPs' satisfaction with the doctor-patient encounter: findings from a community-based survey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics of the doctor-patient relationship from the GP's point of view.

METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional 1-day study in family practice. Thirty-three GPs volunteered to fill in a questionnaire at the end of each of 20 consecutive consultations on an index day. Six hundred and sixty-one patients (out of 665) participated in the study. Descriptive frequencies of GPs' judgements about personal experiences during the consultations, and predictors of GP's global satisfaction score on patient encounters were analysed.

RESULTS: The mean age of the 33 GPs was 44.7 +/- 3.6 years. Professional skills (62% of the GPs had no doubts on diagnosis, therapy or prognosis) and the quality of the human/interpersonal interaction were major determinants of GPs' satisfaction in the patient-doctor relationship. Doctors felt professionally esteemed by 90% of their patients, and the median value of their global satisfaction score (matching the expectations from an 'ideal patient' to that experienced when meeting the real one) was very high (median 8, range 1-10). Nevertheless, GPs did not know if they were satisfied with the actual encounter with the patient in about one-third of the consultations.

CONCLUSIONS: Professional skills and quality of the human/interpersonal interactions are major determinants of GPs' satisfaction in their professional activities.