Why is it important to get to know patients? The Foundation of Quality Healthcare

September 23, 2025 •

4 min read

Research consistently demonstrates that strong patient-provider relationships, built on trust and mutual understanding, are directly linked to better health outcomes and higher patient satisfaction. This principle of patient-centered care answers the crucial question: why is it important to get to know patients?

Quick Summary

Getting to know patients deeply improves healthcare by fostering trust, enhancing treatment adherence, and enabling personalized care plans that address social and emotional factors. This holistic approach leads to more accurate diagnoses and ultimately better health outcomes.

Key Points

Improved Adherence: Building rapport and trust encourages patients to be more open and compliant with their treatment plans, leading to better health outcomes.
Enhanced Diagnostics: A deep understanding of a patient's life, preferences, and social context allows for more accurate diagnoses and personalized, effective treatment strategies.
Increased Satisfaction: When patients feel heard, respected, and understood, their satisfaction with their healthcare experience increases significantly.
Reduced Anxiety and Stress: Empathetic and compassionate care can provide emotional support, alleviating the anxiety often associated with medical procedures and diagnoses.
Cost Reduction: Effective patient engagement can reduce medical errors, prevent unnecessary testing, and decrease hospital readmissions, leading to lower costs for both patients and the healthcare system.
Holistic Wellness: Moving beyond symptoms to address the whole person—including their social and emotional well-being—supports a more comprehensive and successful approach to long-term health.

Building Trust and Rapport for Better Adherence

At the heart of effective healthcare lies a strong, trusting relationship between a patient and their provider. This connection, also known as rapport, is a foundational element that dramatically influences the patient's engagement and adherence to their treatment plan. When a patient feels understood and respected, they are far more likely to be transparent about their medical history, lifestyle, and concerns. A study in Clinical Medicine found a direct link between good patient rapport and strengthened compliance with treatment plans. This trust is not an overnight achievement; it is built through consistent, empathetic, and respectful communication.

For chronic conditions, which require lifelong management, this bond is particularly beneficial. Patients with chronic illnesses who feel deeply known by their healthcare team are more motivated to take an active role in their wellness journey. They are empowered to make decisions and take on the self-management techniques necessary for long-term health. Without this trust, patients may withhold critical information or neglect to follow recommendations, leading to poorer health and increased complications.

Achieving Better Health Outcomes Through Personalization

Moving beyond surface-level symptoms allows for a truly personalized approach to medicine. Understanding a patient's unique biological, psychological, and social context is essential for crafting the most effective care plan. A 2018 study highlighted the importance of asking "what matters to you?" to understand a patient's health priorities beyond just the diagnosis, ultimately improving outcomes for those with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

The Role of Social Determinants of Health

Getting to know patients means understanding their lives outside the clinic. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), such as living conditions, financial security, and support networks, have a profound impact on a person's health. A provider who knows that a patient lacks reliable transportation to appointments or cannot afford a specific medication can work collaboratively to find alternative, more feasible solutions. Ignoring these factors can lead to an ineffective treatment plan, regardless of its clinical soundness.

The Psychological and Emotional Benefits of Empathy

Patient encounters often involve vulnerability and anxiety. A provider who makes an effort to connect with a patient on a human level, showing genuine empathy and compassion, can significantly alleviate this distress. Studies show that patients who feel heard and validated experience lower levels of anxiety and a greater sense of emotional comfort. This positive emotional experience is not just a 'nice-to-have' but a crucial component of the healing process itself. Empathy enables healthcare professionals to see beyond the diagnosis and connect with the person experiencing it, providing support that addresses the whole individual.

The Economic Case for Patient-Centered Care

From a systemic perspective, investing time in patients can lead to substantial economic benefits. Better-informed patients are less likely to demand unnecessary tests, and enhanced communication reduces the risk of medical errors. This increased efficiency benefits both patients and the broader healthcare system. Furthermore, by improving adherence and self-management, patient-centered care can lead to fewer hospital readmissions and emergency room visits, lowering overall costs.

Comparison: Traditional vs. Patient-Centered Care


Feature	Traditional Care Model	Patient-Centered Care Model
Focus	Primarily on the disease or condition	On the whole person, including social, emotional, and physical health
Communication	Often one-way, with the provider dictating decisions	Two-way, collaborative, and based on mutual respect
Decision Making	Paternalistic; providers decide for the patient	Shared; patients are active participants in their treatment decisions
Patient Role	Passive recipient of care	Active partner and driver of their own health
Trust	Assumed or based on authority	Actively built through empathy and consistent communication
Outcomes	Driven by clinical metrics alone	Driven by improved clinical metrics, satisfaction, and quality of life

Practical Steps to Cultivate Deeper Patient Understanding

For healthcare providers, fostering a deeper connection with patients is achievable through specific, actionable steps:

Practice Active Listening: Pay full attention to the patient's words, body language, and emotions. Paraphrase their concerns to confirm understanding and show you are engaged.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of questions that elicit a simple 'yes' or 'no,' ask questions like, "How has this condition affected your daily life?" to encourage more detailed responses.
Involve the Family (with consent): When appropriate, include a patient's family or support network in care discussions to gather a more comprehensive understanding and build a stronger support system.
Avoid Medical Jargon: Communicate clearly and simply, ensuring the patient understands their condition and treatment plan without being overwhelmed by technical terms.
Be Transparent and Honest: Being upfront about a diagnosis, treatment options, and potential outcomes, even when difficult, builds immense trust.
Use Teach-Back Method: After explaining a concept, ask the patient to explain it back in their own words. This confirms understanding and identifies any miscommunications.
Explore Patient Preferences: Ask about their values and goals. This ensures that treatment plans are aligned with what is most important to the patient in their life.

Conclusion: The Shift to a Holistic Model

In modern healthcare, moving from a disease-centric model to a patient-centered one is not a trend but a necessity. The profound benefits of getting to know patients extend far beyond the clinical metrics, touching on the very human aspects of well-being. By prioritizing rapport, empathy, and holistic understanding, healthcare professionals not only enhance patient satisfaction and outcomes but also find their own work more fulfilling and meaningful. The investment of time and genuine interest in the individual is the most powerful tool for improving health, fostering trust, and ultimately, strengthening the entire healthcare ecosystem. You can learn more about patient engagement strategies from authoritative sources, such as the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding a patient's personal circumstances, values, and lifestyle enables providers to tailor treatment plans that are not only clinically sound but also practical and aligned with the patient's life. This personalized approach improves the likelihood of the patient adhering to the plan.

Traditional care focuses primarily on the disease, with the provider acting as the main authority. Patient-centered care, however, focuses on the individual as a whole, involving them as an active partner in decision-making and considering their unique preferences, needs, and social context.

Rapport, built through genuine, empathetic communication, is the foundation of patient trust. When patients trust their provider, they feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information and are more likely to have confidence in the medical recommendations they receive.

Yes. Strong patient-provider relationships and better communication lead to reduced medical errors, fewer unnecessary tests, and higher adherence to treatment. This can decrease hospital readmissions and emergency visits, ultimately leading to significant cost savings for the healthcare system.

While time is a challenge, implementing specific communication strategies, such as active listening and asking open-ended questions, can efficiently build rapport. The investment of a few minutes upfront can save considerable time and effort later by preventing misunderstandings and non-adherence.

Empathy is crucial for showing a patient that their feelings and experiences are understood and validated. This provides emotional comfort, reduces anxiety, and builds a stronger connection, making the healthcare experience more positive and supportive.

Social determinants of health are external factors like a patient's living situation, support system, or financial stability. Understanding these helps a provider create a treatment plan that fits the patient's reality, rather than a perfect plan that is impossible to follow in their circumstances.