Perceptions of Health Care Professionals' Credibility as a Predictor of Patients' Satisfaction with their Medical Care and Physician

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how patients' perceptions of source credibility related to their satisfaction with the quality of medical care they received and satisfaction with their physician. Patients' perceptions of the competence and caring dimensions of source credibility were analyzed for physicians, nurses, and support staff members. Three hypotheses were proposed and supported. Results indicated that higher perceptions of competence and caring for each member of the medical team were related to more patient satisfaction. This paper discusses the importance of the doctor-patient, nurse-patient, and support staff-patient relationships in light of the findings.

Keywords:

• Source Credibility
• Patient Satisfaction
• Quality of Medical Care

A cooperating agency provided the researchers with a grant to cover all phases of the data collection process for this study as part of a larger project.

Notes

∗All correlations are statistically significant, p < .001.

Because the cooperating agency's experience indicated that response rates would go down if the questionnaire employed was longer, only the competence and caring dimensions of source credibility were examined.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michelle L. Paulsel

Michelle L. Paulsel (EdD, West Virginia University, 2005) is an assistant professor at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.

James C. McCroskey

James C. McCroskey (EdD, Pennsylvania State University, 1966)

Virginia P. Richmond

Virginia P. Richmond (PhD, University of Nebraska, 1977) are professors at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.