While researching the book Uncaring, I came across a strange paradox. American doctors share the same professional culture—same norms and values that they acquire in medical school and carry throughout their careers. And yet the attitudes and actions of doctors vary widely across the country.
To get a better handle on how physician culture influences physician behavior, last month’s survey asked Musings readers to indicate the activities that *most* doctors do. This survey asked both clinicians and non-clinicians for their thoughts. Here are the results:
My thoughts: Overall, the perspectives of clinicians and patients align. And most seem to agree that doctors do the right thing more often than not.
While it’s hard to read too much into this data without the ability to segment it further, four things stood out to me:
- Patients (82%), more than clinicians (70%), believe that doctors treat their peers with respect. Although we know physicians tend to show respect to colleagues within their own specialty, we also know the hierarchy of medicine grants doctors of different specialties higher esteem than others. Primary care, as I have written many times, is afforded less respect than it is owed within the profession compared to interventional specialists.
- There’s a discrepancy of opinion between clinicians and patients when it comes to whether doctors treat nurses (and other healthcare professionals) with respect. Patients (73%) were far more likely to say yes than those working in the medical field (58%). Although we don’t know how many of the healthcare respondents were doctors or nurses, I will guess that nurses and other healthcare professionals provided a different answer than the doctors who responded.
- Clinicians (51%) gave doctors kudos for discussing end-of-life issues whereas the people on the receiving end of those conversations were far less satisfied. Only 29% of patients believe most doctors perform this important task.
- Clinicians (39%) think doctors have a difficult time acknowledging the limits of their medical knowledge and expertise. Patients (60%) appear to be unaware of this problem and rarely question their physician’s training and experience.
Thanks to all who voted. To participate in future surveys, and to access timely news and opinion on American healthcare, sign up for my free (and ad-free) newsletter Monthly Musings on American Healthcare.
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Dr. Robert Pearl is the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, the nation’s largest physician group. He’s a Forbes contributor, bestselling author, Stanford University professor, and host of two healthcare podcasts. Pearl’s next book, “Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients,” is available for presale now. Follow him on Twitter @RobertPearlMD.
