Difficult And Disruptive Patients Are More Likely To Get Worse Care From Doctors, According To Studies

Many patients are nice, polite and cooperative. However, there are also some difficult and disruptive parents that make the lives of doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers more difficult.

New studies conducted by a Dutch research team show that difficult and disruptive patients tend to get worse care from doctors, UPI reports. This might be due to the distractions experienced by doctors when patients are being aggressive, demanding, difficult, disrespectful and disruptive.

"Patients who behave disruptively by displaying disrespect or aggressiveness may induce their doctors to make diagnostic mistakes," researcher and associate professor at the Institute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam associate professor, Dr. Silvia Mamede, told UPI. Dr. Mamede also noted that an estimated 15 percent of people who are treated by doctors show difficult and disruptive behavior which elicits a negative emotional response from the healthcare providers.

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The research was done by giving physicians "fictional vignettes" of difficult and disruptive patients. The first study showed that doctors made 42 percent more diagnostic mistakes for complex cases when their patients were disruptive.

Meanwhile, the second study showed that doctors made 20 percent more diagnostic mistakes for difficult patients. "The findings aren't definitive because the researchers tested how physicians responded in fictional vignettes, instead of real-life encounters," UPI noted.

"Physicians should be trained to deal with these disruptive behaviors explicitly and effectively," Dr. Mamede advised. "An aggressive patient can be calmed. A patient who displays lack of trust in his doctor can be referred to another doctor."

There are different ways to avoid being a difficult and disruptive patient which can help patients get the best quality of care from their doctors. Being honest, cooperative and polite as well as learning how to listen well and trust the doctor are the most effective ways to become a good patient, according to The New York Times. Being a good patient can make a difference on the healthcare you receive from doctors.