Physician – patient communication in Rheumatology: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Physician-patient communication in the assessment and management of rheumatic diseases can have significant impact on patients’ health-related quality of life. The aim of this review is to synthesise and systematically appraise the literature reporting on physician-patient communication in Rheumatology with the goal to identify potential gaps and challenges within this area. Methods: Systematic search of published scientific literature using standard bibliographic databases. Inclusion criteria: (1) diagnosis of a rheumatic condition; (2) patient age >18 years; (3) studies reporting findings on physician-patient communication. Expected results: A systematic search of five online databases (Medline, PsycInfo, EMBASE, CINAHL, WebofScience) from earliest record to January 2015 identified 455 relevant articles. Keywords and text words focused on terms related to communication factors and clinician-patient interaction. 119 papers remained after title and abstract filtering. Current stage of work: Following quality assessment, data will be extracted and synthesised to draw conclusions. Discussion: Findings will aim to inform the development of interventions on patient-centred care with the aim to enhance communication between physicians and patients with rheumatic disease and improve patient outcomes.