Objective  To explore influencing factors of doctor-patient information communication (DPIC) and to provide evidences for improving the situation of DPIC in China.

  Methods  To screen influencing factors of DPIC based on grounded theory, we conducted an expert fractal analysis and semi-structured interviews among 8 schoolors engaged in medical humanities education and research, 20 senior doctors and 20 patients in three tertiary hospitals in Nanjing city using purposive sampling. With the coded influencing factors prelimilarily determined, we compiled a questionnaire. Then we conducted an on-site self-administered questionnaire survey among 2 727 medical professionals and 1 781 patients and their relatives recruited using cluster random sampling at tertiary hospitals in 23 municipalities/provinces across China during March – May 2016. We analyzed the data collected for weighting and ranking all influencing factor of DPIC by comprehensive and average impact scores calculated for each of the factors.

  Results  Of the surveyed medical professionals and patients and their relatives, 45.9% and 44.1% reported a strong willingness to conduct DPIC; 75.9% and 71.4% affirmed the necessity of governmental agencies' role in DPIC; 49.0% and 53.9% evaluated the role of media and network in DPIC as very necessary; 21.6% and 18.0% approved representative role of medical associations in the process of DPIC but only 14.5% and 26.7% approved the representative role of consumers associations. There were significant disparities between medical professionals and patients and their relatives in attitudes towards DPIC and its relevant dimensions mentioned above (all P < 0.01). The rank order from high to low for impact scores of DPIC influencing factors was governmental administration (score = 3.69), demand for the communication (3.34), media and network (3.18), medical association (2.56), and consumer association (2.21) among the medical professionals; while among the patients and their relatives, the rank order was government administration (3.61), media and network (3.32), demand for the communication (3.25), consumer association (2.71), and medical association (2.47).

  Conclusion  A good doctor-patient information communication comes from the joint efforts among medical staff, patients, government agencies, media and network, and relevant social organizations. The study result suggests that a comprehensive platform needs to be established to promote the communication.