Caregiver-Patient Relationship Quality
Authors:   , Falvey Patrick D. , Gefen David 
Published: December 2023

Healthcare organizations, such as hospitals and physician practices, continue to operate in a volatile economic environment which impacts operations, revenues, and the patient experience. This is placing a strain on the caregiver-patient relationship resulting in patient mobility. Healthcare organizations must examine and escalate their customer relationship management strategies to create long-term bonds with patients and to increase their philanthropic intentions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of caregiver gratitude, authentic patient trust, patient gratitude (specific) transaction, and patient gratitude disposition with one another and with revenue growth outcomes of action relationship quality and willingness to donate. Based on the literature review and theoretical elements of social exchange, human relations, customer relations, psychology of gratitude, and authentic leadership, it is hypothesized that a cohesive caregiver-patient relationship based on authentic trust and supported and mediated by gratitude should result in exchange behaviors of action relationship quality and willingness to donate. This study examined the responses of 13,088 patients and 14,950 employees from patient satisfaction and employee engagement surveys administered within a single integrated delivery system. The measures assessed ratings of caregiver gratitude, patient delight, caregiver service levels, authenticity, trust, patient satisfaction, patient gratitude, willingness to recommend and willingness to donate from caregivers and patients in settings that were inpatient, emergency department, primary care clinics, and specialty care clinics. Principal component analysis was used to validate and reduce the variable data set. Multiple ordinary least squares linear regression analyses were conducted to analyze the relationships between authentic patient trust with action relationship quality and willingness to donate. The analyses examined the relationship of caregiver gratitude, patient delight, and caregiver service levels on authentic trust. The mediating role of patient gratitude (specific) transaction and disposition on the association of authentic patient trust with action relationship quality and willingness to donate was assessed. The study found that authentic patient trust was positively associated with action relationship quality and willingness to donate. Patient gratitude (specific) transaction positively mediated the association of authentic patient trust with action relationship quality and willingness to donate. Patient gratitude disposition positively mediated the association of authentic patient trust with willingness to donate but not with action relationship quality. Patient delight and caregiver service levels were positively associated with authentic patient trust. Caregiver gratitude was not positively associated with authentic patient trust. At a department level of analyses, caregiver gratitude was positively associated with patient gratitude, patient satisfaction, and patient trust. These results suggest an authentic patient trust and gratitude strategy benefit caregiver-patient relationships and organizational revenue growth outcomes