Medical Staff

Patients hesitant to ask questions

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, April 8, 2008

An April 3 article in The New York Times analyzes a study conducted by British researchers that assessed patients’ willingness to ask doctors and nurses questions. Patients were most willing to ask questions regarding length of hospital stay, time off of work, and specifics of the procedure. Patients were much less willing to ask doctors and nurses:

  • Who are you and what is your job?
  • Have you washed your hands?
  • How many times have you done this operation?
  • I don’t think that is the medication I am on. Can you check, please?

The study’s authors suggest that patients are worried about insulting their doctors by asking questions related to safety. However, survey results indicate that patients are more willing to ask tough questions when physicians encourage them to do so.

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