Effects of connection-based physician-patient relationships on perceptions of outcome: A vignette experiment

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the effects of media reports of medical outcomes and connection-based medicine on trust in physicians. In "connection-based medicine," people use personal connections to obtain better medical resources.

Methods: Vignette experiments were used to investigate attitudes toward physicians among 230 cancer patients and their families (Sample 1) and a cross-validated sample of 280 employees from various industries (Sample 2).

Results: For both samples, negative media reports were associated with lower trust in physicians; when the reports were positive, the participants generally perceived physicians as more competent and trustworthy. However, with negative reports, patients and families perceived connection-based physicians as less right and professional than non-connection-based physicians; the public (represented by the employee sample) perceived connection-based physicians as less right than non-connection-based physicians and negative outcomes to be caused more by connection-based physicians than non-connection-based physicians.

Conclusions: Medical reports can influence the perception of a physician's traits, which are important for trust. Positive reports promote evaluation of Rightness, Attribution, and Professionalism, whereas negative results may elicit the opposite effect, especially for connection-based physicians.

Practical implications: Positive media images of physicians can help facilitate trust. Connection-based medical treatment should be reduced to improve access to medical resources in China.

Keywords: Cancer; Connection-based medical treatment; Cross-validation; Trust in physicians; Vignette experiment.