Patient Attitudes – What Provider Judgements Mean For Hospital Patients

Conforming Patients		Deviant Patients
Agree with the following claims: Physicians expect their patients to obey them Patients who are more sick deserve more attention from physicians and staff In the hospital, it is important to adhere to what you are told and stay quiet Disagree with following claims: When sick, you should be catered to and pampered It is important to know the reasons behind what you are told to do in the hospital Hospital staff should be there to talk about family or personal problems		Do not agree with conforming patient’s attitudes/beliefs Behaviors: Disagreeing with medical staff Arguing with medical staff Frequently complaining or submitting minor complaints Complaining about minor discomforts

Conforming Patients

Deviant Patients

Agree with the following claims:

Physicians expect their patients to obey them
Patients who are more sick deserve more attention from physicians and staff
In the hospital, it is important to adhere to what you are told and stay quiet

Disagree with following claims:

When sick, you should be catered to and pampered
It is important to know the reasons behind what you are told to do in the hospital
Hospital staff should be there to talk about family or personal problems

Do not agree with conforming patient’s attitudes/beliefs

Behaviors:

Disagreeing with medical staff
Arguing with medical staff
Frequently complaining or submitting minor complaints
Complaining about minor discomforts

Conforming patients tend to receive better judgements from physicians and hospital staff, and this more positive judgement can lead to better physician-patient relationships because there is no dispute or negative feelings between the physician and the patient. However, there is also a downside to being a conforming patient. When you are conforming, you are less likely to ask for clarification about certain procedures or treatments your physician is recommending and are less likely to be autonomous and make decisions about your medical treatment yourself (instead you just follow the doctor’s orders). You are also less likely to speak up when you are in pain and instead decide to tough it out, which leads to more overall discomfort during hospital stays.

Deviant patients tend to be judged by medical professionals as “problem patients” and the physician-patient relationship is impacted by this judgement and by possible arguments or disagreements between the physician and the patient.