American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 196, Issue 2 , Pages 186.e1-186.e5 , February 2007

Does physician attire influence patient satisfaction in an outpatient obstetrics and gynecology setting?

  • Richard L. Fischer, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ
  • ,
  • Clare E. Hansen, RN

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ
  • ,
  • Robert L. Hunter, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ
  • ,
  • J. Jon Veloski, MS

      Affiliations

    • Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA.

Received 15 June 2006 ,Accepted 26 September 2006.

References 

  1. Gooden BR, Smith MJ, Tattersall SJN, Stockler MR. Hospitalised patients’ views on doctors and white coats. Med J Aust. 2001;175:219–222
  2. Brandt LJ. On the value of an old dress code in the new millennium. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:1277–1281
  3. Bishop WJ. Notes on the history of medical costume. Ann Med Hist. 1934;193–218
  4. Menahem S, Shvartzman P. Is our appearance important to our patients?. Fam Pract. 1998;15:391–397
  5. McKinstry B, Wang J. Putting on the style: what patients think of the way their doctor dresses. Br J Gen Pract. 1991;41:275–278
  6. Gjerdingen DK, Simpson DE, Titus SL. Patients’ and physicians’ attitudes regarding the physician’s professional appearance. Arch Intern Med. 1987;147:1209–1212
  7. Keenum AJ, Wallace LS, Stevens ARB. Patients’ attitudes regarding physical characteristics of family practice physicians. South Med J. 2003;96:1190–1194
  8. Kanzler MH, Gorsulowsky DC. Patients’ attitudes regarding physical characteristics of medical care providers in dermatologic practices. Arch Dermatol. 2002;138:463–466
  9. Dunn JJ, Lee TH, Percelay JM, Fitz JG, Goldman L. Patient and house officer attitudes on physician attire and etiquette. JAMA. 1987;257:65–68
  10. Cha A, Hecht BR, Nelson K, Hopkins MP. Resident physician attire: does it make a difference to our patients?. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;190;:1482–1486
  11. Pronchik DJ, Sexton JD, Melanson SW, Patterson JW, Heller MB. Does wearing a necktie influence patient perceptions of emergency department care?. J Emerg Med. 1998;16:541–543
  12. Hennessy N, Harrison DA, Aitkenhead AR. The effect of the anaesthetist’s attire on patient attitudes. Anaesthesia. 1993;48:219–222
  13. Ikusaka M, Kamegai M, Sunaga T, et al. Patients’ attitude toward consultations by a physician without a white coat in Japan. Intern Med. 1999;38:533–536
  14. Baevsky RH, Fisher AL, Smithline HA, Salzberg MR. The influence of physician attire on patient satisfaction (letter). Acad Emerg Med. 1998;5:82–84
  15. Pickering TG, James GD, Boddie C, Harshfield GA, Blank S, Laragh JH. How common is white coat hypertension?. JAMA. 1988;259:225–228
  16. Wong D, Nye K, Hollis P. Microbial flora on doctors’ white coats. BMJ. 1991;303:1602–1604
  17. Nurkin S, Urban C, Mangini E, et al. Is the clinicians’ necktie a potential fomite for hospital acquired infections? [astract]. American Society for Microbiology; 2004;May
  18. Gribble RK, Haupt C. Quantitative and qualitative differences between handout and mailed patient satisfaction surveys. Med Care. 2005;43:276–281
  19. Roethlisberger FJ, Dickenson WJ. Management and the worker: an account of a research program conducted by the Western Electric Company, Hawthorne works, Chicago. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; 1939;

 Reprints not available from the authors.Cite this article as: Fischer RL, Hansen CE, Hunter RL, Veloski JJ. Does physician attire influence patient satisfaction in an outpatient obstetrics and gynecology setting? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2007;196:186.e1-186.e5.

PII: S0002-9378(06)01240-3

doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2006.09.043

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 196, Issue 2 , Pages 186.e1-186.e5 , February 2007