Survey: What patients want in a doctor

Published: Aug. 4, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Decontamination exercise in Wheat Ridge, Colorado

EVANSTON, Ill., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- What most U.S. adults want in a doctor is a good bedside manner and communications skills, a survey by the American Board of Medical Specialties indicates.

Ninety-five percent of respondents rank communication skills and board certification highest in important qualities they look for in choosing a doctor.

The survey also indicates that 91 percent of those asked say board certification is important but "most (respondents) didn't understand the meaning of board certification," Dr. Kevin Weiss, president of the American Board of Medical Specialties said in a statement.

"Sixty percent incorrectly believe that a doctor has to be board certified to practice medicine and only 45 percent of survey respondents had ever checked to see if their doctor is board certified."

Board certification is a voluntary process a doctor undertakes to demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning and proficiency in his or her medical specialty, Weiss said.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents say it is difficult to find useful, clear information on doctors.

The survey, conducted May 16-19 of 1,009 adults, has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Woman to fight fine for feeding ducks (3 min)
Wickmayer discusses doping suspension (14 min)
CDC estimates 22M had H1N1, 3,900 died (59 min)
New Orleans Hornets fire Coach Byron Scott
Chicago students arrested after food fight
Intel to pay AMD $1.25B settlement
UPI NewsTrack Business
fark
If there are aliens on other worlds, did Jesus die for their sins, too? After all, every Gelgamek...
Murder suspect tells jury he has the cure for global warming, knows how to win in Afghanistan, and...
...and when they covered the Jews' cars in sticky-notes I said nothing, because I was not a Jew
Photoshop this barrier balancer
You can make your very own Tamiflu at home. I'm sure this will end well
Ohio couple married 61 years and died one day apart. There is no escape. Did you hear me? NO ESCAPE...