Is It Better to Lead or Resonate? An Empirical Study on the Effect of Doctors’ Communication Style on Doctor-Patient Relationship in Online Healthcare Community

With the development of Internet technology, online consultation platforms are playing an increasingly important role in medical services. However, the asynchronous nature of online consultations and the lack of body language present new challenges for doctor-patient communication. This study explored the effects of two communication strategies (guiding patients to express and expressing emotional resonance) on the doctor-patient trust relationship in online consultation. Through the analysis of doctor-patient interaction data from Haodf.com, a leading online medical consultation platform in China, the study found that expressing emotional resonance can also significantly enhance doctor-patient trust. By responding to patients’ emotional needs with empathy, doctors can effectively reduce patients’ psychological defense and enhance patients’ trust in doctors. The way in which patients were instructed to express themselves did not significantly help establish a trusting relationship. At the same time, the influence of physician characteristics on emotional resonance is heterogeneous. Doctors with higher professional titles can gain more trust from patients through the expression of emotional resonance. The results of this study indicate that doctors on the network consultation platform should pay attention to expressing emotional resonance to patients, and at the same time adjust communication strategies appropriately to establish a deeper trust relationship. At the same time, platform managers can develop differentiated communication strategies according to the characteristics of doctors to better meet the needs of patients.