Nearly 53% of patients agree that breast radiologists’ appearance matters, according to new survey data published Monday in Academic Radiology [1].
Conversely, about 28% of healthcare consumers said they feel indifferent about such specialists’ attire, with measurable differences tied to patients’ educational attainment. For example, 63% of those with less than a college degree believe a breast radiologists’ appearance matters, versus 54% of those with some college/vocational training, and 47% of graduates.
The findings are derived from an anonymous survey of nearly 1,000 patients, administered to patients undergoing mammography at outpatient breast clinics located in the southeast U.S. during a five-week period in 2022.
“Our study indicates that some respondents have preferences regarding the appearance and attire of breast radiologists, but their opinions vary,” Derek L. Nguyen, MD, with the Department of Radiology at the Duke University School of Medicine, and co-authors concluded. “These findings suggest that patients are flexible in their expectations and preferences for professional attire of breast radiologists,” they added later. “Prior traditional, single dress code policies for breast radiologists could be updated to accommodate current varied patient preferences.”
Meanwhile, most respondents felt indifferent about breast radiologists wearing a white coat (69%) or a neck tie for male docs (77%). The majority, however, preferred that members of the profession wear scrubs when performing procedures (60%), while the remainder (40%) felt indifferent about the practice. This finding held true whether radiologists presented as male (64%) or female (65%).
“Radiologists should acknowledge and accommodate these preferences to optimize patient satisfaction, trust, and overall experience during a breast imaging clinic visit,” Nguyen and co-authors suggested. “This can allow radiologists to address some of the underlying goals of the physician-patient interaction such as instilling confidence within the patient that they are receiving personalized care.”
Read much more in Academic Radiology at the link below.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.