In the age of advanced technology and groundbreaking medical treatments, it might seem unnecessary to stress the importance of good manners in healthcare. After all, many of us entered this profession with the goal of helping people, driven by compassion and the desire to alleviate suffering. We’ve been taught basic etiquette by our parents, and we assume that our role as caregivers automatically entails treating others with respect. Yet, I’ve often heard patients voice frustrations about healthcare workers Ð doctors, nurses, office staff – who are dismissive, uncommunicative, or downright rude. Whether it’s a lack of eye contact, a hurried diagnosis or an overbooked schedule, poor manners can lead to real dissatisfaction and worse – compromised patient outcomes.
When patients finally get face-to-face with their doctor, the experience can feel like an afterthought. A phone call interrupts the consultation; a nurse barges in mid-discussion; or perhaps the patient is seen by a physician assistant rather than the doctor they expect. And then there’s the pervasive issue of tardiness Ð doctors running late, schedules crammed and patients waiting for long, uncomfortable stretches. It’s a symptom of a larger problem: a lack of professionalism that many patients experience from the moment they step into the office to the moment they leave the hospital.
In the hospital, the situation can get even worse. Admitting clerks are unfriendly, nurses are brusque and patients are left feeling like nothing more than a number. The physical discomfort is compounded by emotional stress: hard, uncomfortable chairs, long periods of uncertainty and the indignities of fasting before procedures. In some cases, doctors seem to avoid patient families, particularly in critical care settings, either too busy or unwilling to engage. And then, there are the third-party insurers, whose interactions with patients often resemble those of faceless bureaucrats more interested in cutting costs than in providing any semblance of customer service.
It’s jarring to realize that, in a service-oriented economy where hospitality industries like hotels and restaurants thrive on courteous, attentive service, healthcare still struggles to match the same standards of kindness and professionalism. But here’s the irony: Good manners, it turns out, have a direct and measurable impact on patient care.
While many may dismiss rude behavior as trivial, research – both anecdotal and empirical – suggests that professionalism, kindness and good communication are linked to better health outcomes. In my 50 years of practice, I’ve observed that poor medical outcomes are rarely a result of insufficient knowledge on the part of the physician. More often, it’s the physician-patient relationship that fails. Bad manners and poor communication can cause anxiety, perpetuate confusion and even lead to avoidable errors in treatment. In the worst cases, these interpersonal failings can lead to lawsuits or, worse, patient harm.
It’s clear that the medical profession has begun to recognize the importance of professionalism – especially as our increasingly technological, impersonal healthcare culture drifts farther from the human connections that are the heart of good care. However, some physicians remain unaware of – or indifferent to – their impact on patients. As a result, medical schools have begun incorporating courses in “medical professionalism”, but this alone isn’t enough. What’s equally important, I believe, is a manual on good manners – just as essential as the medical textbooks we carry.
Historically, medical students learned professionalism through the “hidden curriculum” – watching their mentors and senior physicians as they interacted with patients. Unfortunately, this model is showing cracks. As Kenneth Latimer points out in his book Learning to Heal: The Development of American Medical Education, today’s medical faculty often lack significant direct clinical experience. As a result, many of our students are learning not from seasoned practitioners, but from their peers, residents and junior faculty. The problem is compounded by the rapid technological changes that have redefined the doctor-patient interaction. With the rise of digital data, algorithms and evidence-based guidelines, it’s easy for physicians to spend more time engaging with technology than with patients. In some cases, bedside conversations – which once formed the core of patient care – are dismissed as outdated or irrelevant.
But the truth is, a warm, engaging consultation is not only nice – it’s necessary. A patient’s trust in their doctor is paramount, and that trust is earned through empathy, communication and time. Only when patients feel heard can they fully disclose their concerns, fears and hopes, allowing physicians to craft the most effective treatment plans. This is especially important when explaining complex procedures, interpreting test results or discussing prognosis. In fact, patient satisfaction can be significantly improved by simply keeping them informed – much like airlines that now announce delays promptly, a simple gesture that mitigates frustration.
Ultimately, the key to fostering trust is communication. If a patient is in the hospital, they want to know when to expect their doctor, who will be involved in their care, and what each test or procedure entails. When doctors are unavailable or fail to explain what’s happening, patients may feel neglected, or worse, alienated from their own care. This breakdown in communication can lead to a breakdown in trust – an obstacle to healing.
It’s worth noting that the Mayo Brothers, in their 1927 guide to good manners for physicians at their clinic, outlined a set of principles that remain as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago. These timeless rules highlight the importance of treating patients with the utmost respect, prioritizing their needs, and recognizing that every patient deserves individual attention.
- A call from the patient takes precedence over personal engagements.
- To neglect the patient means you are in the wrong profession.
- A smile at the right time can often alleviate the sting of a bad prognosis.
- Taking a personal interest in each patient is good for both the patient and the physician.
- Every patient must be treated as an individual, with every possible courtesy.
- Even trivial ailments deserve respect; after all, the patient has invested time and money seeking care.
- Knock before entering a room; respect privacy.
- Avoid unnecessary interruptions during consultations.
- No patient should leave dissatisfied.
- The ability to make friends of patients spells success in medicine.
- There is no trick to pleasing a patient who is easily appeased, but there is great satisfaction in pleasing the difficult ones.
- Bad manners in medicine reflect a fundamental mistake Ð a misalignment of vocation and practice.
These principles offer a roadmap for cultivating better physician-patient relationships, emphasizing that good manners – above all – are central to providing quality care.
In the end, medicine isn’t just about diagnosing disease – it’s about understanding the patient as a person. It’s about offering a listening ear, a reassuring word, and above all, the dignity that every patient deserves. Good manners are more than a social nicety; they’re a vital component of the healing process.
This article is an excerpt from the book Manners, Morals, and Medical Care: How to be an Effective Physician by Barry Silverman, MD, and Saul Adler, MD, published 2020 by Springer Nature.
Barry Silverman, MD
Dr. Silverman practiced cardiology for 36 years and is currently on the volunteer Emory teaching faculty at Grady Memorial Hospital.
