Some patients may be influenced to (not) sue based on what the physician is wearing:
A patient suing over a post-surgical error said that she knew her surgeon wasn’t focused on her because he came to her room in jeans, a T-shirt and athletic shoes. “Every other physician said he probably came and checked her and then went into the locker room and changed into scrubs, but what the jury saw was that he wasn’t focused on her 100%,” said Dr. Rowland.The story confirms the impressions of other physicians. “I wouldn’t be surprised if patients were more forgiving to doctors who in earnest made an error but look more like doctors than like hippies,” said Mark Lema, MD, an anesthesiologist who has written about physician dress.
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{ 3 comments }
Go with the bowtie.
Really, this is the least serious reason I can think of to feel the doctor isn’t paying attention! Jeans and sneakers might be distracting if you’re used to seeing him in a suit and/or white coat, but how dumb can a patient be to judge care on that alone?
I doubt the patient judged anything on the doctors dress. More likely, it was something that she thought to add to her complaint list after she had already decided she was unhappy. It is the relationship, first, second, and third. The rest matters only after that goes sour, even quality of care.
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