Role of Emotional Intelligence in Healthcare Industry

Abstract

There is a rising need to understand the role of physicians’ Emotional Intelligence (EI) in the health care industry. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between physicians’ EI and patient satisfaction. Physicians’ EI was measured using a self-report assessment of Geno’s EI Inventory developed by Gignac (2010) and patient satisfaction by Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-III developed by Hays et al. (1987). There was a high positive and significant correlation between physicians’ EI and patient satisfaction. The EI scores of female physicians were higher than male physicians. The study found that the physicians’ EI predicted patient satisfaction. These results are helpful to medical practitioners in enhancing their EI abilities to increase their performance for achieving superior healthcare outcome. The present study suggests that physicians’ must undergo EI training to enhance their EI abilities along with clinical skills to perceive patients’ emotions and manage them in a better manner.

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Health Care Industry, Patient Satisfaction, Physician

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