​More than half of patients indicate that how a physician dresses is important to them, according to a new study in BMJ Open. The authors conducted a survey of a convenience sample of 4,062 patients at 10 academic hospitals from June 1, 2015, to October 31, 2016. The patients were shown photographs of a male and female physician dressed in seven different forms of attire and asked to rate them in five domains: knowledgeable; trustworthy; caring; approachable; and comfortable. The physicians were shown dressing casually (short-sleeved collared shirt with jeans and tennis shoes); in scrubs; formal (long-sleeved dress shirts, suit pants, and dress shoes) or in a business suit. In all dress styles except the business suit, a picture of the same physician wearing a white coat was also included (e.g., scrubs with a white coat). The photos were designed to be devoid of visual cues, such as lighting or facial expressions, that could influence preference. Overall, 53% of patients indicated that physician attire was important. More than one-third of patients said that how a physician dresses influences how satisfied they are with their care. Overall, respondents rated formal attire with a white coat higher than all other forms of attire. However, specialty, setting, and region did matter. For instance, respondents said they would prefer surgeons and emergency physicians to wear scrubs. More than half (56%) of patients were neutral or disapproving of the casual look on weekends. “In an era of patient centredness and patient satisfaction, physician attire may be an important, modifiable component of patient care," one of the authors said.

HRC Recommends: Compared with the opinions of healthcare administrators and care providers, patients may place greater or lesser emphasis on individual aspects of the care experience. Healthcare organizations may wish to ask patients—through surveys, focus groups, or other means—which aspects of the patient experience matter most to them. Patient advisory boards may help organizations improve care in ways that matter to patients and families.