Exploring and Improving the Doctor-Patient Relationship in Beijing's Tertiary Hospitals: Filling the Informational Gap

Mar 14, 2024

4 min read

Introduction

In recent years, the doctor-patient relationship in China's Grade-A tertiary hospitals has become tense, with over 70% of hospitals experiencing violent conflicts. Research indicates that reducing the information gap in patients' understanding of diagnoses and treatments, as well as enhancing trust, can alleviate this situation. This study involved more than 30 field interviews across four tertiary hospitals in Beijing to identify two specific information gaps that need to be addressed. We conducted outreach using brochures, posters, custom tissues, presentations, and videos, distributing over 700 brochures and achieving more than 4,000 video views. Additionally, a comparison of 300 questionnaires confirmed that we effectively bridged the two identified information gaps, contributing to the improvement of the doctor-patient relationship in Beijing.

Research Methodology

Our study involved conducting over 30 field interviews with patients, their families, and doctors across four prominent tertiary hospitals in Beijing: Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Japan-China Friendship Hospital, and Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Children's Hospital. These interviews allowed us to gather diverse perspectives on the specific information gaps that contribute to the strained doctor-patient relationship.

Findings

Through qualitative analysis of the interviews, we identified several key factors contributing to the tension:

Mistrust and Communication Gaps
A prevalent theme was the lack of clear communication from doctors regarding hospital rules and processes. For example, patients often do not understand the need to transfer between departments for treatment or why they cannot enter the resuscitation room. Many patients are also unclear about the correct process for receiving treatment in complex hospital settings.
Patient Expectations vs. Reality
Patients frequently have unrealistic expectations regarding medical outcomes and experiences. The complexity of medical information, combined with sensational media portrayals, leads to heightened anxieties and misconceptions about treatment processes. Additionally, many patients struggle to choose the appropriate hospital, resulting in wasted time at large hospitals for minor health issues.
Systemic Issues: Our research also highlighted systemic problems, such as uneven distribution of healthcare resources and the pressures of a tiered medical system.

To tackle these challenges, we created a comprehensive outreach program to enhance communication and understanding between doctors and patients. Although we cannot solve deeper systemic issues, our efforts concentrate on bridging the information gap by clearly explaining hospital rules and processes and informing patients about the benefits of using secondary hospitals for minor ailments.

Outreach Initiatives

Educational Materials: We created brochures and visual aids summarizing common patient concerns and providing clear answers. These materials addressed nine frequently misunderstood topics, such as the reasons for long wait times, the necessity of certain medical tests, and guidelines for following medical prescriptions. Over 700 copies of these brochures were distributed, with approximately 70% taken by patients and their families.
Multimedia Content: An animated video titled "Navigating Your Visit to Chaoyang Hospital" was produced to visually illustrate the patient journey, including registration, consultation, and treatment processes. The video has garnered over 4,000 views online, with more than 100+ sharing, significantly enhancing patient awareness.
Video on the Hospital Visit Process and How to Choose the Appropriate Level of Hospital
Interactive Engagement: We established a "Free Tissue Station" in the emergency department of Chaoyang Hospital, where custom tissues printed with healthcare tips (such as how to choose proper hospitals based on your diseases) and contact information for further inquiries were distributed. This initiative resulted in the distribution of over 800 tissue packets within a day, effectively drawing attention to our outreach efforts.
Public Presentations: We held four in-person outreach sessions at local schools, targeting around 140 students. These presentations emphasized the benefits of the tiered healthcare system and encouraged students to consider secondary hospitals for non-critical health issues. Feedback collected through 93 post-event surveys indicated that students' willingness to consider secondary hospitals increased from 11.8% to 84.9%.

Impact and Results

We gathered over 300 questionnaires from participants surrounding two innovative actions. After excluding responses from those who did not match or had not viewed the posters, the valid response rate for the poster questionnaire reached 51.9%, yielding 113 usable entries. We focused on two key analyses: the awareness level of the tiered healthcare system and the willingness to seek treatment at non-tertiary hospitals.

Increased Awareness:
Improved Decision-Making:
Statistical Significance: Chi-square statistical analysis confirmed a significant association between our outreach materials and students' healthcare choices (p=0.0559), validating the effectiveness of our innovative actions.
Limitations:However, we identified some limitations in the poster campaign: the proportion of individuals who had heard of but did not understand the tiered healthcare system increased. This indicates that the posters lacked interactive elements that could facilitate a deeper understanding of the system. These insights will guide us in enhancing the effectiveness of our future poster campaigns.

Conclusion

Our research underscores the crucial role of communication and education in improving the doctor-patient relationship within Beijing's tertiary hospitals. By addressing the information gaps and fostering mutual understanding, we aim to alleviate tensions in healthcare settings.

Moving forward, we plan to establish a nonprofit foundation to sustain these outreach initiatives and expand our collaboration with educational institutions. Our ongoing commitment to enhancing healthcare communication will continue to promote a more collaborative and trustful doctor-patient dynamic, ultimately contributing to a healthier society.

By documenting and sharing our findings, we hope to inspire further action and dialogue around improving the doctor-patient relationship not only in Beijing but across China. Together, we can work towards a more informed and supportive healthcare environment.