Am J Perinatol 2019; 36(01): 062-066
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1660470
SMFM Fellowship Series Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The Effect of Wearing White Coats on Patients' Appreciation of Physician Communication during Postpartum Rounds: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Mauricio La Rosa
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Nicholas Spencer
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Mahmoud Abdelwahab
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Gabriela Zambrano
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Fawzi Saoud
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Katherine Jelliffe
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Gayle Olson
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Mary Munn
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
George R. Saade
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
,
Maged Costantine
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
› Author Affiliations
Funding None.
Further Information

Publication History

07 March 2018

03 May 2018

Publication Date:
08 June 2018 (online)

Abstract

Objective Wearing a white coat (WC) has been associated with risk of colonization and transmission of resistant pathogens. Also, studies have shown that physicians' attire in general affects patients' confidence in their physician and the patient–physician relationship. Our objective is to evaluate the hypothesis that not wearing a WC during physician postpartum rounds does not affect patient–physician communication scores.

Materials and Methods This is an unblinded, randomized, parallel arms, controlled trial of postpartum women at a single university hospital. Women were randomly assigned to having their postpartum physicians' team wear a WC or not (no-WC) during rounds. Our primary outcome was “patient–physician communication” score. Univariable and multivariable analysis were used where appropriate.

Results One hundred and seventy-eight patients were enrolled (87 in WC and 91 in no-WC groups). Note that 40.4% of patients did not remember whether the physicians wore a WC or not. There was no difference in the primary outcome (p = 0.64) even after adjusting for possible confounders.

Conclusion Not wearing a WC during postpartum rounds did not affect the patient–physician communication or patient satisfaction scores. In the setting of prior reports showing a risk of WC pathogen transmission between patients, our findings cannot support the routine wearing of WCs during postpartum rounds.

Supplementary Material

 
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