Virtual Mentor. April 2007, Volume 9, Number 04

Ethics Poll

Boundaries of professional conduct

The Ethics Poll is a snapshot of the opinions of interested readers.

Do you prefer that your primary physician wear the traditional white doctors' coat during office visits rather than business or casual dress?
Yes
No

You visit a new primary care doctor to discuss your hypoglycemia. The new doctor confides that he, too, has hypoglycemia. Which of the following most accurately describes your reaction to that information.
The information helps me build a relationship with the doctor and trust that he will understand what I am going through and will know how to manage the condition effectively.
The information does not affect my relationship with the doctor in either a positive or negative way.
I'd prefer that the physician focus on my condition, which is what I'm paying him to do. I am not interested in his health problems.

Has a physician ever apologized to you for anything (e.g,, a medical error, not fitting you in for an office visit earlier before your cold turned into pneumonia, a long wait in the office or clinic waiting room)?
Yes
No

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Poll results reflect the opinions of visitors to the site who voluntarily answer the poll questions. Those visitors do not represent a random sample of Virtual Mentor readers. The viewpoints expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the AMA.