Physicians' professionalism from the patients' perspective: a qualitative study at a single-family practice in Saudi Arabia

IntroductionProfessionalism is a crucial component of medical practice. It is a culturally sensitive notion that generally consists of behaviors, values, communication, and relationships. This study is a qualitative study exploring physician professionalism from the patients' perspective.MethodsFocus group discussions with patients attending a family medicine center attached to a tertiary care hospital were carried out using the four gates model of Arabian medical professionalism that is appropriate to Arab culture. Discussions with patients were recorded and transcribed. Data were thematically analyzed using NVivo software.ResultsThree main themes emerged from the data. (1) In dealing with patients, participants expected respect but understood delays in seeing physicians due to their busy schedules. In communication, participants expected to be informed about their health conditions and to have their questions answered. (2) In dealing with tasks, participants expected proper examination and transparency of diagnosis, but some expected the physician to know everything and did not appreciate them seeking outside opinions. They expected to see the same physician at every visit. (3) In physician characteristics preferences, participants preferred friendly smiling physicians. Some cared about the outer appearance of the physician whereas others did not.Discussion/conclusionsThe findings of the study explained only two themes of the four gates model namely dealing with patients and dealing with tasks. Cultural competence and how to benefit from patients' perceptions to be an ideal physician should be incorporated into the process of physicians' training.

Automated summary

This qualitative study explores physician professionalism from the patients' perspective. The findings reveal that patients expect respect, communication, and transparency in their interactions with doctors. They also have preferences for friendly and smiling physicians, and have varying levels of importance placed on the appearance of the physician.