Survey finds body art does not impact patients’ perceptions of competence, professionalism
THURSDAY, July 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients do not appear to mind if doctors have tattoos or piercings, according to a study published online July 2 in the Emergency Medicine Journal.
Marissa Cohen, M.D., from St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Penn., and colleagues surveyed emergency department patients about perceived differences in competence, professionalism, caring, approachability, trustworthiness, and reliability for physicians with and without exposed body art (nontraditional piercings, tattoos, or both).
The researchers found that patients did not perceive a difference in physician competence, professionalism, caring, approachability, trustworthiness, or reliability based on exposed body art. Regardless of physician appearance, patients assigned top box performance (on a 5-point Likert scale) in all domains >75 percent of the time.
“In the clinical setting, having exposed body art does not significantly change patients’ perception of the physician,” the authors write.
Considerable Global Disparities Found in Access to Dermatological Care 
Factors Identified in Disparities of Response to Patient Messages 
Physical Exams May Not Reliably Diagnose Pediatric Pneumonia 
Small Change in Hours Benefits Emergency Physicians Working Night Shifts 
Emergency Diagnosis Linked to Worse Outcomes for Range of Conditions 
ED Boarding Time Varies Considerably Across Hospitals .jpg)
Warning Symptoms, Clinical History Can Predict Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Protocol IDs Patients Who Can Be Treated While Seated in the ED 
