[PREFERENCES OF PARENTS FOR PEDIATRIC INPATIENT WARD PHYSICIAN'S ATTIRE].

BACKGROUND

The preferred attire for physicians has not been defined to date. In Israel, where casual attire is acceptable in most circumstances, patients' preferences have not yet been systematically evaluated.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study that was designed to evaluate parents' preferences for physicians' attire in a pediatric inpatient ward. A volunteer was dressed in four types of clothes sets: elegant attire, sportive attire, careless attire and scrubs - all of which were displayed, with or without a white coat. Parents were asked whether or not they felt the physician was an important component of the medical encounter; they were also asked to choose the picture of the doctor they preferred to care for their child.

RESULTS

A total of 250 parents participated in the study; 68% of the parents believe that the physician's attire is an important component of the medical encounter; 41% of the parents preferred the doctor to wear scrubs with a white coat, 22% preferred scrubs without a white coat. Careless attire was the least preferred attire.

CONCLUSIONS

The physicians' attire was important for most of the participants. We recommend that doctors in inpatient wards wear scrubs.