impacts of the complaint process of psychological well-being of doctors patients, study finds -
The complaints against physicians may have an impact on their psychological well-being, according to a new research from Imperial College London.
research, the second part of a study published last year on complaints against doctors, revealed in detail the emotions triggered by complaints
statements from doctors about the complaint process included phrases such as :. "Makes you feel without value when you know you've made the best possible", "It seemed as if the patient is presumed to be right, and the doctor is presumed evil, unless you can prove otherwise."
They said, "I'm pretty sure that this results in me practicing poor medicine." While another simply adds. "My life was ruined"
Some doctors also called for patients or colleagues to be reprimanded if a complaint is unfounded or malicious
the authors of the. study, published in the journal BMJ Open , use the complaints procedure to be made more transparent, and to resolve grievances more quickly. They also recommended a more open dialogue between patients and physicians, and for physicians to receive emotional support during the complaint process.
Professor Tom Bourne, senior author of the study, the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial, said: "While it is quite right that patients" should feel able to complain about their treatment - and that these complaints are properly investigated, this study suggests that the complaint process should be improved. "
he added," the number of patient complaints against doctors has increased dramatically in recent years -. Complaints against doctors doubled between 07 and 2012. However, this study suggests the complaint process causes tremendous distress for physicians, and can have a real impact on patient care "
regulates the General Medical Council doctors in the UK and can stop or limit their rights to practice. in 2013, there were more than 8,500 complaints about doctors at GMC, a little over 3000 continued to be studied. about 80 doctors a year suspended or erased from the medical register. apart from those referred to GMC, many other complaints are reviewed by internal investigations of hospitals' or clinics.
research in the current study was to a survey of more than 7,000 doctors who had received previous or present complaint. the majority of these complaints were from patients if some were colleagues. most complaints were handled internally by the hospital or the doctor's clinic, although some were referred to the GMC.
To avoid bias, the researchers, who included scientists from the University of Louvain, randomly selected 1,000 such long answers, and analyzed these using the "principle of saturation. This means that the researchers stopped evaluate responses when they saw the same emerging themes. This took place after 100 responses were analyzed.
Of the 100 physicians included in the analysis of the survey, the final result of the investigation of the complaint was known for 80 doctors. Sixty-seven were exonerated, two disciplined, one was suspended from practice and 10 have been the subject of an ongoing investigation.
The first results of the survey, which were published last year, doctors have known that revealed complaints have experienced higher levels of depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts.
In the current study, the researchers analyzed data from the second part of the survey, which doctors answered open questions, and were free to write what they wanted.
When asked about their experience of the complaints process, nearly half of doctors estimated negative feelings towards the complainant or complaint. Comments: "I always find it very difficult that the family of a patient could be so vindictive and nasty" Many doctors have described the feeling powerless and helpless, while similar figures described emotional distress, eg "" I cry. , can not sleep and consider suicide, and certainly not be a doctor anymore. "
most comments doctors said procedural issues were the most stressful part of a complaint. most often, it was due to the impression that the process was biased in favor of the patient, or the length of time required to investigate a complaint and the unpredictable nature of the proceedings. doctor commented. ". ... The panel hearing interim orders, I went through was a kangaroo court beyond any doubt"
About a quarter of physicians reported changing their performance in the following the complaint Ten of them had considered a career change, while seven had "practiced in the more defense," which included prescription drugs as a precaution or avoid difficult cases. a doctor said: "" I felt hurt and victimized, therefore I stopped being a main full time GP and became a part-time salaried GP "
a little less than a quarter. answers were positive feelings about the process Comments included:. "I had full support of colleagues"
When asked how to improve the complaints system, many called for improved transparency, neutrality and effectiveness of time .. the doctors also called for a more open dialogue between doctors and patients, rather than information being transmitted between managers. A doctor commented that there should be "an opportunity to examine the situation with the parents / person in patients with a type of process" mediation "."
Nearly a third of doctors have also provided answers indicating they felt that there was a "need for a policy for vexatious, frivolous or useless" commented one. " the person who makes a complaint must provide certain evidence when applicable. The witnesses must be against-examined. "
The team behind the study explained, there is the potential for bias in the results, that only doctors with strong feelings about the complaints process would have answered the questions open to the. end of the investigation more most affected by a complaint can be avoided completely engaged with the investigation
professor Bourne added :. "both this paper and our previous paper of the quantitative same study show the complaints process is associated with profound effects on psychological health among physicians It also helps them change their practices so as to have an impact on patient care, and incur unnecessary costs for services health ".
EmoticonEmoticon