Provider’s Judgements of patients are what causes them to be labeled as a “good patient” or a “problem patient”. Due to these judgements, certain actions are carried out by physicians.
Consequences for being Classified as a Problem Patient
In the Lorber’s Study, they observed that the problem patients were frequently tranquilized. They also were commonly discharged early, and there was one case of a patient being referred to a psychiatrist (Lorber 224). When these patients weren’t discharged early, they were treated as someone with unjustifiable concerns or complaints. In other studies, it was found that problem patients would sometimes be neglected by medical staff, and there have been reports that providers tend to give better care to patients they like better and more minimal care to those they did not like (Daniels 263).
It is not acceptable for physicians to let their opinions and judgements on patients dictate their care of said patient. That being said, it is human nature for judgements to influence your actions and doctors are not immune to this. So, it is important for patients to be informed about how their behavior can influence provider judgements that possibly can impact their care.