To understand the dynamics of HCP-patient communication, ZoomRx conducted an audit of 381 clinical conversations during which a treatment decision was made. These conversations covered a variety of therapeutic areas, including Central Nervous System, Infectious Disease, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Metabolic Disorders, and Oncology. The average meeting time and the percent of words spoken by the HCP vs the patient were then tabulated and analyzed.
Methodology
To understand the dynamics of HCP-patient communication, ZoomRx conducted an audit of 381 clinical conversations during which a treatment decision was made. These conversations covered a variety of therapeutic areas, including Central Nervous System, Infectious Disease, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Metabolic Disorders, and Oncology. The average meeting time and the percent of words spoken by the HCP vs the patient were then tabulated and analyzed.
Results
The results of the analysis showed that the level of patient engagement varied greatly across the different therapeutic areas. The highest level of patient engagement occurred in Central Nervous System disorders, with patients accounting for 31% of the spoken words. This high level of engagement can be attributed to the fact that speech and engagement are themselves diagnostic mechanisms for functional decline, leading to more open-ended questions from the provider and more time for patients to speak.
In contrast, patients had the lowest share of voice in Oncology appointments, with only 14% of the word count. This can be attributed to the heavy reliance on testing and scans to inform oncology diagnoses and treatment decisions. Opthalmology and Metabolic Disorders are also heavily reliant on scans and testing, resulting in low patient voice share. For these types of scenarios, interpersonal interactions between providers and patients are less critical to the prescribing algorithm, and more of the dialogue is centered around the treatment selection, and patient support and education.
The highest level of patient engagement occurred in general Myasthenia Gravis, with patients accounting for 31% of spoken words. The well-educated patients in this therapeutic area had formed opinions for the next treatment steps and were knowledgeable about current news in the field. Infectious Diseases and Cardiovascular were also seen to have a high patient share of voice. Common across these indications with high patient involvement was the willingness of the providers to have longer discussions, although longer appointments were not found to be indicative of higher patient engagement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recent study conducted by ZoomRx sheds light on the power dynamics of HCP-Patient communication during treatment decision, highlighting the importance of patient engagement in healthcare. The results of the analysis show that the level of patient engagement varies greatly across different therapeutic areas and is influenced by factors such as the reliance on testing and scans and the amount of patient support and education required.
It is important for healthcare providers to prioritize patient engagement and to provide adequate support and education to ensure that patients are informed and engaged in their care. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of recognizing the unique needs and characteristics of different patient populations and tailoring communication strategies to optimize patient engagement and ultimately improve health outcomes.
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