Space and Interaction Trial: Room Design and Patient-physician Interaction (SIT)

The purpose of this study is to improve the clinical encounter through the design of the clinical environment. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial to measure the extent to which a newly designed clinical room, compared to a traditional room, affects the patient-physician interaction. We will judge this outcome by (a) videotaping encounters; and (b) conducting post-visit surveys with patients and an interview with physicians. We will use both qualitative and quantitative tools, including a validated and widely used interaction coding system on the videotapes, to draw inferences from these data.