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Good doctor: what the good and bad attributes are

Vudhichai Boonyanaruthee1, Tinnakorn Chan-Ob

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

Insights

This study surveyed patients, relatives, and staff on doctor attributes. Key good traits include knowledge and rapport, while immodesty and deception are perceived as bad attributes.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Patient Experience
  • Healthcare Professionalism

Background:

  • Understanding patient and public perceptions of physician attributes is crucial for improving healthcare quality.
  • Previous research has explored doctor attributes, but perspectives beyond medical professionals require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and analyze the perceived good and bad attributes of doctors from the viewpoint of non-physician stakeholders.
  • To compare these perceptions across different groups, including patients, their relatives, and hospital personnel.

Main Methods:

  • A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.
  • A comprehensive 120-item questionnaire was administered to 1,100 individuals from diverse hospital-related groups.
  • Response rate was 44%, providing a substantial dataset for analysis.

Main Results:

  • The most frequently cited positive attributes were good medical knowledge, effective rapport building, and careful patient handling.
  • Negative attributes highlighted included immodesty in dealing with female patients, deceptive practices, and perceived neuroticism or psychiatric issues.
  • Significant variations in perceived good and bad attributes were observed among the different respondent groups.

Conclusions:

  • The findings underscore the importance of a holistic approach to physician evaluation, incorporating patient and staff perspectives.
  • These insights can inform medical education and hospital policies to enhance physician conduct and patient satisfaction.
  • Further comparative studies are recommended to explore the generalizability and application of these findings in diverse healthcare settings.
Abstract

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