The Future of Aging

Patient-provider relationship

Research has shown repeatedly that encouragement by physicians is one of the single most important factors in influencing preventive health behaviors and healthy lifestyle choices among patients. Less is known, however, about the experience and consequences of physician interaction with older patients. With the aging of the U.S. population, coupled with the disproportionately large number of health care visits made by older people, it is becoming increasingly important to examine provider-elderly patient encounters, their process and outcomes.

Beeson Scholars researching Patient-provider relationship