A Qualitative Comparative Study of the Doctor-Patient Relationship Model and Decision-Making Style among Chinese and Japanese Doctors

The nature of doctor-patient relationships (DPRs) and decision-making style (DMS) is related to patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and the occurrence of disputes. Given the importance of understanding the current state of DPRs, we conducted an exploratory analysis of the current state of DPRs and DMS in clinical settings in China and Japan. We explored similarities and differences between the two countries, as well as influential factors in DPRs and DMS. Twenty doctors in China and 20 doctors in Japan were recruited through the authors' personal networks as well as snowball sampling, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Doctors were asked about mainstream DPR models and DMS in current medical practice, and their responses were analyzed using qualitative descriptive methods. Results of the analysis suggest that, in both China and Japan, a diverse mosaic of DPRs and DMS coexists. In both countries, there are paternalistic relationships between doctors and patients, as well as teacher-and-student relationships, but there are also cases in which patients make final decisions and those which adopt shared decision-making. Some doctors referred to DPRs as a friendship. Furthermore, attitudes of individual doctors and patients, the medical environment, trust between the two parties, and national and cultural characteristics strongly impact the formation of DPRs. Our findings highlight the importance of carefully monitoring the current state and various influencing factors of DPRs in order to realize effective human relationships in clinical settings.