The Effect of Type of Communication by Physical Therapists on Patient Satisfaction and Revisit Intention

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#This study sought to identify the effect of various types of communication by physical therapists on patient satisfaction and revisit intention. @*Methods@#A total of 212 patients who received physical therapy in Seoul and the Gyeonggi province were surveyed on patient satisfaction and revisit intentions depending on the types of communication by physical therapists. Frequency and correlation analyses were conducted to process the data using the SPSS 22.0 program, and the AMOS 18.0 statistical package was used for confirmatory factor analysis. A structural equation modeling analysis was also performed to verify the model and the hypothesis that was set up in the present paper. @*Results@#The survey showed that patient satisfaction correlates positively and significantly with patient-centric communication, physical factors, and spatial behavior. A significant negative correlation was also found between patient satisfaction and therapist-centered communication. Patient satisfaction positively correlated with revisit intentions. @*Conclusion@#These results showed that there was a positive correlation between the communication of the physical therapist and the satisfaction recognized by a patient. This implies that the patient satisfaction with a physical therapist increases as the communication skills of a physical therapist improve. These findings suggest that a physical therapist must adopt patient-centric communication styles, physical factors, and spatial behavior. This study was important as it generated basic data for the formation of a therapeutic relationship through efficient and promotional communication skills. It recognizes the importance of communication between a physical therapist and a patient as the indispensable factor for interaction.