From the Editors’ Desk: Why Does Not Improvement in Communication Lead to Improvement in “Hard” Outcomes?

Excerpt

The quality of communication is important in provider-patient interactions. Studies have consistently shown that encounters that are more interactive result in patients with higher levels of satisfaction and trust.¹ What has been more difficult to achieve is translating improvement in communication to other outcomes, such as improved hypertension or diabetes control. Most studies of communication interventions that have looked for effects beyond improvement in satisfaction have found no benefit.^1‐3 This is surprising since improvement in communication can lead to improved adherence to treatment regimens^4‐6 and adherence has been shown to be critical to improvement in some outcomes, such as blood pressure control.⁷ …