The effect of physician appearance on patient perceptions of treatment plans

The presentation of a physician's clothing and themselves is an important part of the physician-patient interaction. Physician attire can impact patient satisfaction and trust in their physician. We sought to discover the influence physician attire may have on patients' comfort level with proposed treatment plans, which could influence treatment adherence. We surveyed 495 subjects to better understand the relationship between physician attire and patients' perceptions of treatment plans. We found subjects' comfort level in proposed treatment plans was not significantly affected by physician attire. This finding suggests physician attire may not be as important when considering the potential effect on treatment adherence.