Enhancing Patient Satisfaction and Trust Through Electronic Patient Portals: Mediating Effects of Patient-Centered Communication and Self-Care Skills Among Chinese Deaf and Hard-Of-Hearing Patients

This study investigates the impact of Electronic Patient Portals (EPPs) on patient satisfaction and trust among Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) patients in China. Utilizing data from a sample of 317 DHH patients, the study employs regression analyses and mediation models to explore relationships among EPPs use, patient-centered communication (PCC), self-care skills, patient satisfaction, and trust in healthcare providers and institutions. The findings reveal that EPPs significantly enhance PCC (β=.388, <i>p</i> < .001). Improved PCC, in turn, boosts DHH patients' self-care skills (β=.177, <i>p</i>=.001), which ultimately increases patient satisfaction (β=.246, <i>p</i> < .001), trust in healthcare providers (β=.483, <i>p</i> < .001), and trust in healthcare institutions (β=.499, <i>p</i> < .001). Furthermore, bootstrapping results confirm that PCC and self-care skills are crucial mediators, bridging the influence of EPP use on patient satisfaction and trust. These results underscore the importance of EPPs in improving healthcare experiences for DHH patients, highlighting their role in fostering better communication, enhancing self-care abilities, and building trust in the healthcare system.