Patient Preference for Physician Attire in an Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Outpatient Setting

The purpose of this study was to investigate patients' preferences for surgeon attire in sports medicine. We hypothesized that older patients would prefer a white coat with formal business attire and that younger patients, and/or athletes, would prefer attire without a white coat.

A total of 196 questionnaires were distributed to patients at two orthopaedic sports medicine clinics from July 2020 to June 2021. Photographs of male and female physicians were included in the questionnaire, wearing various attires. Patients were asked about the importance of physician's dress, to rate each attire in five categories, and to rank all six outfits based on overall preference and confidence in surgical expertise.

Overall, 65.8% of patients reported that surgeon attire was not important to them. Similarly, respondents ranked white coat with business attire and white coat with scrubs highest in confidence in surgical expertise and overall preference. Athletes were 43% less likely to prefer surgeons wearing a white coat (P = 0.04) and 54% less likely to agree that dress influences happiness with care (P < 0.001). Female patients were 50% less likely to agree that surgeons should wear a white coat than male patients.

Most patients reported that orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons' dress is not important to them and does not influence confidence in their surgeon. However, many patients preferred physicians wearing a white coat with either business attire or scrubs compared with types of dress without a white coat. Wearing a white coat in an outpatient orthopaedic sports medicine office may improve patient satisfaction and perception.