Do Physicians judge patients based on what they wear? Designer Bags? Casual Clothing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t you usually wearing a gown when you see the actual doctor?

+1

But I'm actually judging the doctors- ohh, your mask has the Nats logo on it or their earrings look really expensive.

I’ve not had to wear a gown for any doctor other than OBGyN. Cardiologist has me dressed and my neurologist along with my GP.

Your doctors require gowns?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

I heard it's better to wear white skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

When my father had cancer, he was definitely judged by the hospital. He was older (93) and black. They assumed he didn't have medical insurance so they were really horrible. I had to really show out! He had very good health insurance and I am a lawyer.

Why would they assume he didn’t have Medicare ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a female doctor, I don't pay much attention to the designer status of clothing worn or bag toted. I would note if they were neatly dressed and groomed or disheveled.

One of my core physicians, my Internist actually complimented me on a brand name handbag once and it did take me by surprise. The bag was across the room and not anywhere near the examining table. Since then, I wonder if they judge based upon what patients wore when they were seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. The doctors might not admit it outright, but they do treat you differently based on what they assume about your socioeconomic status.

So, casual clothing is fine, but it better be from Patagonia, not Walmart.

First paragraph is 100% correct. Cops do the same thing, as do most other professionals you hire. They need to know if you look like someone who can afford to sue them for any “mishaps”. Of course this doesn’t nessasarily apply to all of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

I heard it's better to wear white skin.

Even to black physicians? How exactly do you fix potential racism among medical workers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

I heard it's better to wear white skin.

But OP asked about what someone is wearing, not the color of their skin. Different topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be interested in hearing from providers, but it seems natural to adjust your language based on the patient's knowledge and education. A friend who's the son of a doctor told the story of running into an ER with his child in the middle of the night wearing a cutoff tshirt. The doc started explaining extremely basic facts (on the level of "the lungs help you breathe") until the dad started talking, demonstrating that he knew more medicine than 99 percent of patients.

This is going to vary based on the doctor. You would hope the professionalism would extend to all, but the research says otherwise. I'll also never forget that one of the women I trained with would comment on people who didn't "dress up" appropriately for the visit; e.g., wearing sneakers and jeans instead of something more dressy.

I personally work with a population for which 1/3 of my patients don't have running water or electricity, so I am fairly certain I am able to put looking for designer labels out of my mind. I'm sure I have my own biases, but I don't think this is one of them.

I do start to do my counselling about diagnostic assessment and plan, and then pause to do "teach back" so that I can tailor it to a level people expect and need.
This is a dermatology CME, but it applies broadly: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962212012443

[Anonymous]

My great wardrobe has never been enough to escape the assumptions made based on my past medical history which includes a mental illness, and, perhaps worse, my gender. The worst ever was when a dismissive emergency med doc at INOVA wanted to send me home with antacids for my abdominal pain. What I actually needed was surgery for my bursting appendix.

[Anonymous]

Doctors note physical appearance as part of the whole examination. If someone uncombed greasy hair, clothes that are dirty, that might be relevant to their mental health. If there was an extreme weight loss or gain that could be related to illness.

But some of the clowns here think a doctor would judge negatively a neatly dressed, well spoken person because they have Walmart clothes on. I have more faith in doctors. Their job is treating patients. I’ve never heard of one turned away because of a fake Chanel bag.

[Anonymous]

Being a fat woman at the doctor is the worst thing you can possibly be. Especially if you try to talk about something other than your weight.

I’m fat and avoid the doctor because of this. They assume I’m lazy, dumb, and poor because of my weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being a fat woman at the doctor is the worst thing you can possibly be. Especially if you try to talk about something other than your weight.

I’m fat and avoid the doctor because of this. They assume I’m lazy, dumb, and poor because of my weight.

+1000 This has been my experience too. It's awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a fat woman at the doctor is the worst thing you can possibly be. Especially if you try to talk about something other than your weight.

I’m fat and avoid the doctor because of this. They assume I’m lazy, dumb, and poor because of my weight.

+1000 This has been my experience too. It's awful.

Please don't avoid the doctor for this. My mom (who was just borderline overweight at age 63) avoided the doctor for years, and I am fairly confident that weight was the reason and she didn't want to step on the scale. Her breast cancer was discovered by her dermatologist. Fortunately mammograms don't require a doctor's order anymore, but that wasn't the case 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is a physician. He wouldn’t recognize a designer bag if it hit him in the face!

Mine would. He notices everything pricey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a fat woman at the doctor is the worst thing you can possibly be. Especially if you try to talk about something other than your weight.

I’m fat and avoid the doctor because of this. They assume I’m lazy, dumb, and poor because of my weight.

+1000 This has been my experience too. It's awful.

Please don't avoid the doctor for this. My mom (who was just borderline overweight at age 63) avoided the doctor for years, and I am fairly confident that weight was the reason and she didn't want to step on the scale. Her breast cancer was discovered by her dermatologist. Fortunately mammograms don't require a doctor's order anymore, but that wasn't the case 20 years ago.

Unfortunately I have started avoiding. I really can't take the poor treatment anymore.