What is needed? Better bedside manner, so patients actually trust their doctors. Communication that is easily understood by everyday people. And transparency about what medical care costs, plus a willingness to discuss how price points fit into consumers’ health decisions.
The paper suggests that “implicit bias” — doctors and nurses subtly or subconsciously treating some patients differently than others — or patients’ perception of it could have consequences for people’s health. Patients who felt that they had experienced bias based on factors like race, income or insurance were less likely to follow advice about medication, for instance, and ended up sicker in the long run.
“We for a long time have neglected the human element,” said Chris Duke, director of Altarum’s Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care, and the white paper’s author. “The number one predictor of patient satisfaction is if your nurse listened to you. We neglect this at our great peril.”