The Impact Of Doctor-Patient Relationships On Employee Health

Why The Relationship Matters

A positive and trusting doctor-patient rapport is crucial for several reasons, especially regarding your employees' overall health and well-being:

1. Enhanced communication: When employees trust their healthcare providers, they are more likely to communicate openly about their symptoms, concerns, and lifestyle, providing doctors with a fuller picture to make accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans. 
2. Increased adherence to treatment: Trusting relationships foster better adherence to prescribed treatments and medications, as patients are more confident in their doctors' recommendations and more motivated to follow through.
3. Improved health outcomes: Positive rapport is associated with better health outcomes, as open communication and adherence to treatment contribute to more effective management of health conditions and prevent complications.
4. Motivation for preventive care: Employees may be more likely to engage in preventive care and regular checkups if they feel comfortable and trust their doctors, leading to early detection and prevention of potential health issues.
5. Empowerment and engagement: A strong rapport encourages employees to be active participants in their healthcare decisions, empowering them to make informed choices about their health and fostering a sense of control over their health journey.

Overall, fostering a positive doctor-patient rapport can significantly enhance the healthcare experience, leading to a healthier, more productive workforce.

But There Are Some Challenges …

The current healthcare system poses several challenges to the doctor-patient relationship, including:

1. Time constraints: Physicians often face time pressures due to high patient volumes and administrative tasks, leading to shorter consultation times. 
2. Administrative burden: Increased paperwork and the need to comply with various regulations can distract doctors from patient care, reducing the time and energy devoted to developing rapport with patients.
3. Fragmentation of care: The presence of multiple healthcare providers without effective coordination can lead to inconsistent messaging and patient confusion, challenging the development of a cohesive doctor-patient relationship.

Here’s What We Are Doing To Address It

By partnering with physicians and leveraging connected data, Anthem is taking steps to simplify administration and integrate capabilities into systems doctors already use. Through an advanced platform called Health OS, Anthem is using one of the industry’s largest data sets — more than 27 million members — supplying providers with real-time data and insights, leading to smarter, more agile patient care decision making.

Health OS connects care providers, payers, and consumers to enhance the consumer experience, reduce administrative burden, and improve care outcomes. This comprehensive technology platform also provides care gap closure, real-time data, and improved coordination.

This whole-health view means patients receive proactive care at the right time, in the right healthcare setting. Doctors can even consult with each other virtually about a patient’s care plan and then provide specific resources to help them achieve health goals or follow their personalized plan for treatment and support.

With less distraction and fewer administrative burdens — like prior authorizations or payment settlement hang-ups — doctors can spend more time listening, connecting, and caring for their patients.

The Future Of Healthcare Is Personal

Addressing these challenges requires systemic changes that promote more patient-centered care, prioritize doctor-patient interaction time, and improve coordination and communication across all healthcare services.

As healthcare transforms to be increasingly personalized and data-driven, the physician-patient relationship will play a large role in shaping health outcomes and lowering costs of care. Total Health Connections, Anthem's advocacy strategy, encourages collaboration, removes roadblocks, and provides whole-health support to deliver high-quality care. The future lies in not only empowering doctors, but empowering consumers with the tools they need to better care for their health.