A first-of-its-kind study suggests that patients have a more difficult time understanding and building trust with their surgeons when they cannot see the surgeon’s entire face due to masking requirements. The findings show how surgeons are viewed and rated by their patients, and how a lack of confidence or trust may affect how a patient does during and after a surgical procedure.
The study was done with some surgeons wearing conventional surgical masks and others wearing clear masks. Patients reported that it was easier to communicate with the surgeons wearing the clear masks.
“When surgeons wore clear masks as opposed to traditional masks, patients rated their surgeon significantly higher in how well they provided an understandable explanation, knew the patient’s history, demonstrated empathy and built trust,” said Dr. Ian Kratzke, a resident in the department of Surgery at the UNC School of Medicine, and first author of the study.
SOURCE: Newswise March 11, 2021