Qual Quant DOI 10.1007/s11135-013-9965-7 The effects of health transformation program on patient–healthcare personnel communication and interaction in Turkey Ozkan Tutuncu · Aslihan Ardic Cobaner · Osman Guzelgoz · Ayhan Cetin · Mihriban Malkoc · Salih Mollahaliloglu © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013 Abstract The structure of the Turkish healthcare system is being reorganized under Health Transformation Program (HTP) and some serious changes in healthcare system are being car- ried out. Effective healthcare personnel and patient communication has a significant impact on patients’ health behaviors and health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to exam- ine the effect of communication dimensions and HTP on patient and healthcare personnel communication and interaction. The survey was conducted with simple random sampling to 9,089 patients in Turkey. Exploratory factor analysis showed three dimensions of com- munication which are in positive and strong relationship: building relationship, process of physical examination and ending communication. Hierarchical multiple regression was per- formed to measure the effect of communication dimensions and HTP to patient–healthcare personnel communication and interaction. According to the first step, communication dimen- O. Tutuncu (B ) Department of Total Quality Management, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey e-mail: ozkan.tutuncu@deu.edu.tr A. A. Cobaner General Directorate for Health Promotion, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey e-mail: acbner5@gmail.com O. Guzelgoz Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey e-mail: osman.guzelgoz@saglik.gov.tr A. Cetin General Directorate for Health Researches, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey e-mail: ayhan.cetin1@saglik.gov.tr M. Malkoc Public Hospitals Agency, Darica State Hospital, Kocaeli, Turkey e-mail: mihriban.malkoc@hotmail.com S. Mollahaliloglu Health Policy Board, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey e-mail: salih.mollahaliloglu@saglik.gov.tr 123