Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients
Background and purpose — Facemasks play a role in preventing the respiratory spread of SARS-CoV-2, but their impact on the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic is unclear. We investigated whether the type of surgeons’ facemask impacts patients’ perception of the physici...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Medical Journals Sweden
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Acta Orthopaedica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://actaorthop.org/actao/article/view/1071 |
| _version_ | 1818891867295580160 |
|---|---|
| author | Kristian Nikolaus Schneider Christoph Theil Georg Gosheger Lukas Peter Lampe Robert Rödl Alexander Mellmann Stefanie Kampmeier Carolin Rickert |
| author_facet | Kristian Nikolaus Schneider Christoph Theil Georg Gosheger Lukas Peter Lampe Robert Rödl Alexander Mellmann Stefanie Kampmeier Carolin Rickert |
| author_sort | Kristian Nikolaus Schneider |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and purpose — Facemasks play a role in preventing the respiratory spread of SARS-CoV-2, but their impact on the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic is unclear. We investigated whether the type of surgeons’ facemask impacts patients’ perception of the physician–patient relationship, influences their understanding of what the surgeon said, or affects their perceived empathy.
Patients and methods — All patients with an appointment in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the 2-week study period were included. During consultations, all surgeons wore a non-transparent (first study week) or transparent facemask (second study week). Results of 285 of 407 eligible patients were available for analysis. The doctor–patient relationship was evaluated using the standardized Patient Reactions Assessment (PRA) and a 10-point Likert-scale questionnaire ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree).
Results — A non-transparent facemask led to more restrictions in the physician–patient communication and a worse understanding of what the surgeon said. Patients’ understanding improved with a transparent facemask with greatest improvements reported by patients aged 65 years and older (non-transparent: 6 [IQR 5–10] vs. transparent: 10 [IQR 9–10], p < 0.001) and by patients with a self-reported hearing impairment (non-transparent: 7 [IQR 3–7] vs. transparent: 9 [IQR 9–10], p < 0.001). The median PRA score was higher when surgeons wore a transparent facemask (p= 0.003).
Interpretation — Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks pose a new communication barrier that can negatively affect the physician–patient relationship. While emotional factors like affectivity and empathy seem to be less affected overall, the physician–patient communication and patients’ understanding of what the surgeon said seem to be negatively affected. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T17:47:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1045d1f42d3c467da681452296c08835 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1745-3674 1745-3682 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T17:47:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Medical Journals Sweden |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Orthopaedica |
| spelling | doaj.art-1045d1f42d3c467da681452296c088352022-12-21T20:12:01ZengMedical Journals SwedenActa Orthopaedica1745-36741745-36822022-01-019310.2340/17453674.2021.1071Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patientsKristian Nikolaus Schneider0Christoph Theil1Georg Gosheger2Lukas Peter Lampe3Robert Rödl4Alexander Mellmann5Stefanie Kampmeier6Carolin Rickert7Department of Orthopedics and Tumor Orthopedics, University Hospital of MünsterDepartment of Orthopedics and Tumor Orthopedics, University Hospital of MünsterDepartment of Orthopedics and Tumor Orthopedics, University Hospital of MünsterDepartment of Orthopedics and Tumor Orthopedics, University Hospital of MünsterDepartment of Orthopedics and Tumor Orthopedics, University Hospital of MünsterInstitute of Hygiene, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, GermanyInstitute of Hygiene, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, GermanyDepartment of Orthopedics and Tumor Orthopedics, University Hospital of MünsterBackground and purpose — Facemasks play a role in preventing the respiratory spread of SARS-CoV-2, but their impact on the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic is unclear. We investigated whether the type of surgeons’ facemask impacts patients’ perception of the physician–patient relationship, influences their understanding of what the surgeon said, or affects their perceived empathy. Patients and methods — All patients with an appointment in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the 2-week study period were included. During consultations, all surgeons wore a non-transparent (first study week) or transparent facemask (second study week). Results of 285 of 407 eligible patients were available for analysis. The doctor–patient relationship was evaluated using the standardized Patient Reactions Assessment (PRA) and a 10-point Likert-scale questionnaire ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree). Results — A non-transparent facemask led to more restrictions in the physician–patient communication and a worse understanding of what the surgeon said. Patients’ understanding improved with a transparent facemask with greatest improvements reported by patients aged 65 years and older (non-transparent: 6 [IQR 5–10] vs. transparent: 10 [IQR 9–10], p < 0.001) and by patients with a self-reported hearing impairment (non-transparent: 7 [IQR 3–7] vs. transparent: 9 [IQR 9–10], p < 0.001). The median PRA score was higher when surgeons wore a transparent facemask (p= 0.003). Interpretation — Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks pose a new communication barrier that can negatively affect the physician–patient relationship. While emotional factors like affectivity and empathy seem to be less affected overall, the physician–patient communication and patients’ understanding of what the surgeon said seem to be negatively affected.https://actaorthop.org/actao/article/view/1071CommunicationCOVID-19Doctor-PatientEmpathyFacemaskPhysician-Patient |
| spellingShingle | Kristian Nikolaus Schneider Christoph Theil Georg Gosheger Lukas Peter Lampe Robert Rödl Alexander Mellmann Stefanie Kampmeier Carolin Rickert Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients Acta Orthopaedica Communication COVID-19 Doctor-Patient Empathy Facemask Physician-Patient |
| title | Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients |
| title_full | Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients |
| title_fullStr | Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients |
| title_short | Surgeons’ non-transparent facemasks challenge the physician–patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 285 patients |
| title_sort | surgeons non transparent facemasks challenge the physician patient relationship in the orthopedic outpatient clinic of a tertiary university hospital during the covid 19 pandemic a prospective cohort study of 285 patients |
| topic | Communication COVID-19 Doctor-Patient Empathy Facemask Physician-Patient |
| url | https://actaorthop.org/actao/article/view/1071 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kristiannikolausschneider surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT christophtheil surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT georggosheger surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT lukaspeterlampe surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT robertrodl surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT alexandermellmann surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT stefaniekampmeier surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients AT carolinrickert surgeonsnontransparentfacemaskschallengethephysicianpatientrelationshipintheorthopedicoutpatientclinicofatertiaryuniversityhospitalduringthecovid19pandemicaprospectivecohortstudyof285patients |