Table 1.

Dimensions of Patient-Centered Communications and Survey Items Used to Assess Dimensions

Communication Dimension		Survey Items
1.	Ensuring that communications during the clinical encounter involve the perspective of the patient and elicitation of key concerns and feelings	During the past 12 months, how often did doctors, nurses, or other health professionals give you the chance to ask all the health-related questions you had?
		In the past 12 months, how often did you feel you could rely on doctors, nurses, or other health professionals to take care of your health care needs?
2.	Dealing with the patient in light of the patient’s individual psychological needs and social/cultural background	During the past 12 months, how often did doctors, nurses, or other health professionals give the attention you needed to your feelings and emotions?
		During the past 12 months, how often did doctors, nurses, or other health professionals help you deal with feelings of uncertainty about your health or health care?
3.	Ensuring that the encounter facilitates a common “shared understanding” (p. 2) of the underlying medical problem and treatment options	During the past 12 months, how often did doctors, nurses, or other health professionals make sure you understood the things you needed to do to take care of your health?
4.	Ensuring that the patient is an equal power partner in the clinical encounter and decision making regarding treatment options	During the past 12 months, how often did doctors, nurses, or other health professionals involve you in decisions about your health care as much as you wanted?