How do patients define "good" and "bad" doctors?
OBJECTIVE
Knowledge of hospital patients' perceptions of doctors' qualities is limited. The purpose of this study was to explore hospital patients' definitions of "good" and "bad" doctors.


METHODS
Semi-structured interviews conducted with 68 consecutive hospital patients. The questions explored the characteristics of good/bad doctors. Responses were subjected to content analysis.


RESULTS
The patients' mean age was 72.7 (+/- 15) years; 61% were female. Content analysis produced 9 categories connoted positively/negatively; the mean number of categories/patient response was 2.4 (+/- 1.3), ranging from 1-6. Sensitivity/insensitivity to feelings were in the forefront, together with the importance of the relational dimension and the need to provide treatment tailored to the patient's needs. Patients' responses emphasised "bad" doctors' use of medicine as self-serving and not serving the patient.


CONCLUSIONS
This qualitative enquiry made it possible to gather information on the patients' expectations or beliefs outside physicians' or health researchers' pre-established categories. It emphasised that acknowledging possible areas of uncertainty may be less threatening for the doctor's image than exhibiting scientific proficiency unadapted to the patient's expectations and needs.
Luthy
Christophe
C
Service of Internal and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospitals, Hôpital Beau-Seéjour, CH-1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. christophe.luthy@hcuge.ch
Cedraschi
Christine
C
Perrin
Eliane
E
Allaz
Anne-Françoise
AF
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013557:Switzerland