Background: Patient perceived empathy plays a major role in establishing a good doctor-patient relationship. Therefore, this study explores the relationship among patient perceived empathy, quality of doctor-patient communication, and evaluation of the doctor-patient relationship while initially investigating the possible factors influencing patient perceived empathy.
Methods: We used the C-CARE scale, the C-SEGUE framework, and the C-PDRQ-15 scale to measure patient perceived empathy, ratings of doctor-patient communication quality, and ratings of patient-doctor relationships, respectively. A nationwide survey was conducted among 3039 patients, aged 18 to 92 years in China. Bootstrapped mediation analysis was performed.
Results: The age of the patient, the grade of hospital, and the consultation duration have significant differences in the scores of patient perceived empathy. There was a significantly positive correlation among patient's perceived empathy, doctor-patient communication, and doctor-patient relationship. Patient's perceived empathy can not only directly predict doctor-patient relationship , but also predict doctor-patient relationship through the mediating effect of doctor-patient communication.
Conclusion: Patient perceived empathy was related to age, hospital grade, and consultation duration. Patient perceived empathy can improve the doctor-patient relationship directly and can also optimize it indirectly via doctor-patient communication. The more empathy patients feel during medical interactions, the more positive their evaluation of the doctor-patient communication process and the more harmonious the doctor-patient relationship will be.
Practice implications: Emphasizing the importance of empathy in clinical encounters can facilitate effective doctor-patient communication and hence strengthen the doctor-patient relationship. Respecting and understanding patients is more important than providing professional medical advice when conveying empathy.
Keywords: Doctor-patient communication; Doctor-patient relationship; Patient perception of doctors’ empathy.
© 2025. The Author(s).