Ann Acad Med Singap
-
Ann Acad Med Singap · Feb 2007
Patient satisfaction with rheumatology practitioner clinics: can we achieve concordance by meeting patients' information needs and encouraging participatory decision making?
The objective of this study was to determine if patient information needs are being met and the level of patient satisfaction with rheumatology practitioners in participatory decision-making and thereby indirectly explore whether concordance was achieved. ⋯ The majority of patients were satisfied that their information needs were met and with the care provided in the practitioner clinic. Participatory decision-making was sub-optimal despite patient satisfaction with the amount of time allocated to meeting their information needs. We found that patients exercise autonomy in managing their arthritis by regulating their medications through an active decision-making process, which is informed by their previous experience of medication, and how well controlled they felt their arthritis was. Research into this decision-making process may hold the key to achieving concordance.