In the shop becomes increasingly likely with arrangements mostly designed for doctor convenience rather than patient satisfaction. With the growth of “team” practices the issue of patients beginning to feel like a car Seems odd that you would be expected to get naked and be probed by a stranger, but after the first visit that shouldn’t be an issue once trust is established.Ī probe on the first visit seems a bit much unless you are a proctologist, urologist or gynecologist. When a patient too injured to talk or dementia. Three’s mostly a crowd when it comes to consulting with your doctor unless there is some reason why it makes sense like This isn’t just “stranger danger” - this is your life. Her most recent book, “Medicine in Translation: Journeys With My Patients,” is about the care of immigrants and Americans in the United States health care system. Our goal is to engender trust and to make our patients as comfortable as possible.ĭanielle Ofri is an internist at New York City’s Bellevue Hospital, and editor-in-chief of the Bellevue Literary Review. In a neutral way, not implying a preference - or a hassle - with either choice. It’s critical, though, that the question be posed What probably makes the most sense is for male and female doctors to ask all patients whether they’d like another person present during an intimate exam. On the other hand, I am aware that the patient is acutely vulnerable - psychologically and physically - during the physical exam. He or she must be sharply watched for expected misbehavior. There is the assumption that the physician cannot be trusted, and that like a teenager at a prom, Personally, I’ve always disliked the word “chaperon,” even though it is the accepted terminology. On the other hand, we need to ensure our patients feel secure during these more sensitive areas of the physical exam. Rethink blanket rules that mandate chaperons. If it is harming some of our patients by making an awkward situation even more uncomfortable, then we need to So then we have to wonder whether chaperon policies are protecting the patient or protecting the doctor. For many patients, it turns out, a chaperon can make them feel uncomfortable. This attitude is mirrored by male patients, who overwhelmingly do not want any third party in the room, regardless of the sex of the doctor. Patients distinctly do not want a chaperon present when they are being examined by a woman. But if the doctor is a woman, that number is extremely low. Studies tend to show remarkably similar results: most female patients want a chaperon present during an intimate exam by a male physician. What’s more, it is not clear that having a chaperon in the room actually makes patients feel more comfortable, either. They felt that it inserted a sense of mistrust into their relationship with the patient And some confessed that it just didn’tįeel necessary sexual misconduct by doctors always seemed to involve the male half of the profession, they said. Into the exam room felt awkward to them, especially with patients they knew well. Others commented that bringing a chaperon When I asked various female doctors whether they use chaperons, most responded that they knew they were supposed to but that it was just too hard to manage in a busy clinic day. In some studies, the number was as low as 10 percent. Performing a breast or pelvic exam on a female patient, though many do not use chaperons for male patients.īut female doctors, as a group, rarely use chaperons for either male or female patients during genital exams. Most male doctors are assiduous about having a chaperon when Often the issue is not having extra staff available, or not having enough time to track someone down. In practice, adherence to these rules varies widely. Whether this actually happens is another story. In fact, most institutions mandate that chaperons be present for rectal, pelvic and breast exams. “From the standpoint of ethics and prudence, the protocol of having chaperons available on a consistent basis for patient examinations is recommended.” In general, the rule is to have a “chaperon” present to protect patients against possible sexual misconduct, and to make them feel more secure during intimate examinations. The idea of a stranger touching a person’s intimate areas makes most people cringe. The airline passenger who refused to allow a security pat-down made national headlines quickly.
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