Strategies to Enhance Doctor-Inpatient Communication in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan: a Qualitative Study

Authors

  • Bilqees Fatima MBBS, DCH, MHPE, Women Medical Officer, Department of Pediatrics Medicine, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
  • Moneezhay Jaffer BDS, CHPE, MHPE, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Professions Education, Islamabad Medical & Dental College (IMDC), Barakahu, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Ayesha Arshad BDS, MHPE Demonstrator, Department of Oral Biology, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Adeela Awan BDS, MPH, CHPE, MHPE (Scholar), Assistant Professor, Department of Community Dentistry, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Rida Haque BDS, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Dentistry, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Aatir Mujeeb BDS, MSPH, Senior Lecturer, Department of Community Dentistry, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Keywords:

Communication Barriers, Health Communication, Inpatients, Patient Satisfaction, Physician-Patient Relations, Teach-Back Communication, Tertiary Care Centers, Tertiary Health Care.

Abstract

Objective: This study primarily aimed to explore and compare strategies to effective communication between doctors and inpatients in a tertiary care hospital in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. This study also identified common and divergent strategies proposed by the stakeholders and generated contextually informed recommendations for bridging the communication gap between the doctor-inpatient relationships in a tertiary care setting.

Study Design and Setting: A qualitative, exploratory inquiry was conducted in the medical ward of Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, from August to September 2024.

Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected doctors and 10 inpatients. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed manually using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework.

Results: Analysis yielded six themes from doctors and six themes from inpatients, reflecting solutions at individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels. Doctors emphasized language and cultural competence, communication training, patient education, structural support, safety, and multidisciplinary reforms. Inpatients highlighted enhanced availability, clear explanations, fairness, education, supportive environments, doctor’s behavior, and systemic navigation support.

Conclusion: Implementing strategies targeting communication skills, patient engagement, institutional support, and systemic reforms could foster patient-centered, empathetic interactions and improve care quality in tertiary care hospitals.

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Published

2026-07-30

How to Cite

Bilqees Fatima, Moneezhay Jaffer, Ayesha Arshad, Adeela Awan, Rida Haque, & Aatir Mujeeb. (2026). Strategies to Enhance Doctor-Inpatient Communication in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan: a Qualitative Study. International Journal of Pharmacy Research & Technology (IJPRT), 16(2), 3202–3210. Retrieved from https://ijprt.org/index.php/pub/article/view/2837

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Research Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.