Take Two Aspirin and Go Away

• 1/21/2010
• Author: Audrie Bretl Roelf
• Category: Benchmark Blog
• 14730 Views
• 0 Comments
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In 2007,  I edited a book for Joint Commission Resources titled, Defusing Disruptive Behavior: A Workbook for Leaders. The book focused on physicians behaving badly and treating those around them poorly. Some interesting studies were cited regarding how physicians behaved and how that might affect patient care.

A new study along those lines done by researchers at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev suggests that physicians’ moods affect the number of prescriptions, referrals, and lab tests ordered, as well as the amount of time they spend with their patients.

The findings of the study “Communicating with Patients, Prescribing Medications and Referring to Tests and Specialists: Associations with Physician Burnout and Moods” were presented at the 14th International Conference of the Israel National Institute for Health Policy. 

More than 180 primary physicians in Israel were surveyed to determine whether physicians changed their professional behavior on good mood days, as well as days when they felt stressed, tired, or anxious. Physicians’ burnout levels were also assessed. The study asked physicians to rank how their mood affected the extent they talked with patients, prescribed medications, sent patients to lab or diagnostic tests, and referred patients to a specialist. 

The study’s findings showed that a good or bad mood affected all five physician behaviors. On days the physicians felt positively, they spoke more to patients, wrote fewer prescriptions, ordered fewer tests, and issued fewer referrals. However, when physicians were in a bad mood, they did the opposite. Additionally, if the physicians’ burnout level was higher, their moods more strongly impacted their behaviors.

Have you seen this in action? Do you believe that mood could have an impact on patient care?