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KMID : 1039620150050030313
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Korean Journal of Family Practice
2015 Volume.5 No. 3 p.313 ~ p.321
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The Characteristics of Board-Certified Family Physicians Related to the Ratio of Difficult Patients in Korea
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Lee Mi-Ra
Baek Jung-Hoon
Yang Hui-Ho
Jang Eun-Jin
Yoo Sun-Mi
Jeon Young-Jee
Park Seung-Guk
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Abstract
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Background : Few studies on difficult physician-patient relationships have focused on physician characteristics. This study aimed to determine what physician characteristics are associated with greater physician-reported frustration with patients.
Methods : We conducted an email survey on 197 family physicians from the Korean Academy of Family Medicine. The survey assessed physician and practice characteristics, including personal characteristics, practice setting, work hours, case mix, and general health status. Physicians estimated the percentage of their patients who were ‘generally frustrating to deal with.’ We categorized physicians by quartile of reported frustrating patients, and then compared physician characteristics in the top and lowest quartiles. We used logistic regression to model physician characteristics associated with greater frustration.
Results : Mean medical interview duration was estimated to be 6.89 minutes for average patients and 15.04 minutes for difficult patients. Physicians who reported high frustration with patients were younger than 40 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 11.52), had less experience as board-certified physicians (5-10 years: OR, 4.92; 95% CI, 1.33 to 18.12; less than 5 years: OR, 3.45; 95% CI, 1.02 to 11.69), or worked at secondary or tertiary hospitals (OR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.06 to 7.99; OR, 3.28; 95% CI, 1.13 to 9.53).
Conclusion : The personal and practice characteristics of physicians who report having more difficult patients differ from that of physicians who report having less difficult patients. Understanding the factors that contribute to physician frustration with patients may allow us to improve the quality of physician-patient relationships.
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KEYWORD
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Difficult Patient, Family Physicians, Association
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