Gene Emery of Reuters recently described patients’ preference of courteous doctors who are genuine.
“Patients may care less about whether their doctors are reflective and empathic than whether they are respectful and attentive,” says Dr. Michael Kahn of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
U.S. medical schools are dedicating more time to teaching future doctors to smile and be more considerate to patients.
A California HMO plan Blue Cross bases physician bonuses exclusively on patient satisfaction rather than cost control.
Under their plan
doctors could receive up to a 10 percent bonus on their quarterly payments if they score well on patient satisfaction surveys
and on how well they provide preventive services.
Dr. Kahn says the first step for doctors is to ask patients permission before entering the room. “Feeling follows behavior rather than the other way around,” he said.
Patients desire a relationship and sentiment with their doctor, a sense of true concern.
Sometimes specialty physicians are able to have a closer connection with patients.
According to a study conducted by the Harris Poll patients were more satisfied with chiropractic care than care from medical doctors and other health care professionals.
After being treated by a European doctor with Old World Etiquette, Dr. Kahn experienced calming benefits of good manners.
Doctors that emphasize etiquette in their medical practice “put professionalism and patient satisfaction at the center of the clinical encounter and bring back some of the elements of ritual that have always been an important part of the healing profession.”
Very interesting!