A comparative analysis of physician estimates and levels of medical knowledge among patients*

This study compares the level of medical knowledge among patients with physician estimates of patient comprehension of medical information. Further, the paper evaluates the accumulated body of knowledge pertaining to patient‐physician communication and extends the available research evidence without ascribing culpability to either the patient for a failure to comprehend or to the physician for a failure to explain. A number of propositions derived from the existing literature were tested using data from 231 patients and 23 physicians at the Family Medical Centre in Winnipeg, Canada. It was found that the meaning of most of the selected medical terms and conditions was correctly understood by the patients, while the physicans generally underestimated patient comprehension of medical terminology. In concluding the paper, several conceptual and methodological problems are identified which need to be resolved if a more insightful understanding of patient‐physician communication is to be gained.