Impact of the Patient-Clinician Relationship on Medical and Psychological Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

The role of the patient-provider relationship in delivery and effectiveness of medical treatments is an emerging research area that should benefit from a review and synthesis of its findings. Therefore, I conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed randomized-controlled clinical trials that attempted to improve the patient-provider relationship by targeting the behavior of the provider. The sample of studies that contributed effect sizes to the meta-analyses were published between November 1, 2012 and October 31, 2018 (a 6-year span). Only studies that measured the intervention effectiveness using objective medical outcomes or verified subjective psychological/behavioral outcomes were included in the meta-analysis. Eight randomized controlled trials met eligibility criteria and their effect sizes were analyzed using a random effects model. The studies’ combined effect-size was small but statistically significant, a finding that remained unchanged when the effect sizes were grouped by type of outcome, medical vs psychological. The results suggest that manipulation of the patient-provider relationship via the provider has small but statistically significant and positive effects on healthcare outcomes