Pushy or rude patients 'more likely' to be misdiagnosed

Conclusion This study aimed to investigate the effect of difficult patient behaviour on diagnostic accuracy in the general practice consulting room.  The findings suggested that when faced with difficult patients, a doctor is more likely to make a mistake in diagnosis; however, with a little time to reflect, more accurate diagnoses are made. The main limitation is that we cannot be sure whether this study reflects real clinical practice. The use of text-based situations can’t really be compared to the effect of a real patient in the consulting room, who the doctor can speak to themselves. In reality, what may seem to be more challenging consultations may be resolved by finding out the patient's concerns and discussing them, for example. Patients will always have valid health concerns or anxieties underlying any behaviour that may be perceived as "difficult" or "pushy". What may have been more useful is to use a study design where the GP actually consults with a live patient actor. The research included a small number of doctors who were nearing the end of their GP training, but may not have the same level of experience at diagnosing or managing more challenging patients or consultations, compared with someone who has been practicing for some time. That being said, the findings are in agreement with other research which suggests that "disruptive" or "difficult" patients fuel negative emotions in the consulting room. Media reports...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Lifestyle/exercise Mental health Source Type: news