RE: SuperGroup Formation In Maryland (Robert Kuvent, DPM)
From: Ira Baum, DPM
For those interested in joining a SuperGroup, please don't misunderstand me. Having been a pioneer in the SuperGroup concept for podiatry, I wish success to all those who endeavor to participate in a group. It is the right thing to do and it is the right time to do it. To Dr. Kuvent: economies of scale, ancillary services, quality assurance committees, and much more were in our charter.
Someone once said, getting podiatrists together to do something is like herding cats. It can be done, but keep in mind, each member is starting from a different place financially and professionally, each member has their own motives to participate, and some members will be good honest members and some not so good and/or honest members. If I can give you some advice, two of the most important components of the group are a good board of directors and an excellent, beyond great, CEO.
Ira M. Baum, DPM, Miami, FL, ibaumdpm@bellsouth.net
RE: Professional Attire (Alan Mauser, DPM)
From: Estelle Albright, DPM, Jon Purdy, DPM
When I was in private cash practice in LaJolla, CA, one of my patients was a famous TV sports announcer. I used to wear a suit or dress and white coat. One day he said to me, you need to dress the part: You're a surgeon: Wear scrubs. I've done so ever since, plus a long white coat.
In one study, patients preferred their physicians to be in stereotypical physician attire: white coat, name tag, and stethoscope over a shirt and tie for male physicians, and a dress for female physicians. Older patients and private insurance patients were less accepting of casual wear, such as clogs or sandals and blue jeans. (Level of Evidence: 4) [aafp.org/afp/20040901/tips/2.html]
In another study, 68% of patients surveyed felt that professional attire inspired the most confidence. [japmaonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/96/2/132]
One other study found that whether a doctor wears business attire, casual clothing, or scrubs seems to make little difference in a patient's satisfaction with treatment. The findings were based on a satisfaction survey conducted over a three-month period that included 1,116 women who had an office visit with a new obstetrician-gynecologist.
In this study, unbeknownst to the patients, the 20 participating physicians were randomly assigned to wear business attire, casual clothing, or scrubs on a weekly basis. The business attire included a tie for men and a buttoned white coat; the casual outfit excluded jeans but otherwise consisted of typical relaxed clothing and an optional unbuttoned white coat; and the scrubs were hospital issue with no white coat. There were an equal number of female and male physicians in the group.”
The conclusions of this study indicated that a physician's clothing had no bearing on overall patient satisfaction and did not influence attitudes about physician competence or professionalism. This may suggest that good physician-patient interaction, and not the physician's attire, is the key to maintaining patient satisfaction and loyalty. [reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL05671520070220]
