SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Exploring Encounter Characteristics and Patient Ability to Name Treating Physician

Pdf Summary

This poster describes a post-hoc, secondary analysis of a single-center randomized study examining whether patient characteristics and hospitalist behaviors affect a patient’s ability to correctly name their treating hospitalist after an inpatient encounter.<br /><br />A medical student observed hospitalist-patient encounters and recorded etiquette behaviors such as knocking before entry, introducing themselves by name, explaining their role, offering a handshake, asking how the patient was feeling, offering to update family, and sitting at the bedside. After the encounter, patients were asked demographic and clinical questions, including whether they could name their hospitalist, their reason for admission, and their satisfaction with the physician.<br /><br />Among 123 participants, only 30 patients (24.9%) could correctly name their hospitalist, while 98 (79.6%) could name their admitting diagnosis or reason for hospitalization. The study found no statistically significant association between the ability to name the hospitalist and patient factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, language, comorbidities, length of stay, or whether they could identify their diagnosis. Similarly, hospitalist behaviors—including self-introduction, explaining role, handshake, asking about symptoms, updating family, and sitting—were not associated with patients correctly naming their physician.<br /><br />In a secondary analysis, being able to name the hospitalist was not significantly associated with patient satisfaction.<br /><br />The authors conclude that neither patient characteristics nor physician etiquette behaviors were linked to patient recall of the hospitalist’s name. They note the study may have been underpowered and suggest future research explore the role of language and interpreter use in physician name recognition.

Asset Subtitle

Ruchita Iyer

Meta Tag

Author List Andrew Sumarsoon, Do Park, Ruchita Iyer

Category Research

Concept Study Purpose

Concept Patient Name Recall

Concept Post-hoc Secondary Analysis

Concept Patient Characteristics

Concept Hospitalist Etiquette Behaviors

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization UT Southwestern Medical School

Presenting Author Ruchita Iyer

Track Communication

Keywords

hospitalist

patient recall

physician name recognition

patient satisfaction

randomized study

secondary analysis

etiquette behaviors

inpatient encounter

doctor-patient communication

hospitalization

Study Purpose

Patient Name Recall

Post-hoc Secondary Analysis

Patient Characteristics

Hospitalist Etiquette Behaviors