Patient attitudes toward the use of surgical scrubs in a military hospital clinic

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine whether obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) patients in a large military teaching hospital have a negative attitude toward the wearing of surgical scrubs by ob/gyn providers.MethodsA convenience sample questionnaire on patient preferences, including two questions relating independently to military and civilian staff attire, was offered to clinic patients over a 2 month period. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify patient groups less accepting of the surgical scrubs in clinics.ResultsOver ninety-one percent of respondents viewed surgical scrubs with a white coat to be acceptable clinical attire for military or civilian providers. Eight percent preferred the more formal uniform or business dress. Non-white and Hispanic patients had higher rates of preference for more formal dress.ConclusionsThe majority of ob/gyn patients surveyed did not view the use of surgical scrubs with a white coat negatively.

Patient Perception of Physician Attire in a Military Ophthalmology Clinic

“…The physician attire preferences expressed by patients in this study are consistent with the results of a systematic review of patient preferences in physician attire, which indicated that four of the seven studies on procedural-based specialties like ophthalmology either showed no patient attire preference or preferred scrubs [5]. In the similarly procedure-based specialty of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), two military clinics at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital [9] and San Diego Naval Medical Center [14] similarly showed that most patients do not have a preference in physician attire but prefer scrubs when they have a preference. In the only other U.S. military setting studied, a general surgery clinic at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, these results differed from their finding of patient preference for scrubs [10].…”

Dress for Success

“…10 In the military where uniforms are standard, patients prefer their doctors in white coats over scrubs. 11 In that same environment, nonwhites and Hispanics had higher rates of preference for more formal dress than other groups. Not only do most patients show similar preferences but their parents do, too.…”