Masks have become a part of every day life in America amid the coronavirus pandemic. In an effort to help prevent the spread of the disease, many employees and healthcare workers have been asked to wear masks during their shift, and a large percent of the public has adopted mask wearing when they are out and about. However, according to a new study, mask wearing by surgeons can actually negatively affect their relationship with their patient, unless they do one specific thing. Below, we take a closer look at why wearing a surgical mask can impact the relationship between a doctor and their patient.
Masks And Micro-Expressions
A new study published in JAMA Surgery found that patients have a tougher time understanding and building trust with their surgeon when the surgeon wears a mask that obscures their face. It’s not a problem that a mask is worn as a precautionary measure during surgery; instead patients said that they struggled to achieve this level of trust when the mask was worn as part of coronavirus masking requirements during the initial consultation.
Now, that’s not to say that patients would prefer their surgeon go mask-less, just that they struggled to connect with the surgeon and foster a level of trust that is helpful throughout the procedure and rehab. However, researchers found that this connection could still be made while mask wearing policies were in effect if the surgeon wore a clear mask that allowed their face and mouth to be seen by the patient.
For the study, 200 patients were recruited from 15 surgeon’s clinics, and surgeons were randomized to wear clear masks or a covered mask for each new patient visit. After the encounter, patients were asked to complete a verbal survey about their experience.
“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 Ian Kratzke, MD, a resident in the department of Surgery at the UNC School of Medicine, and first author of the study.
When surgeons wore a clear mask, patients reported improved communication, suggesting that not seeing the surgeon’s face may have negative consequences. These micro-expressions that we can read on another person’s face during a conversation go a long way in facilitating trust. We need to be cognizant about how we’re interacting with patients in other ways to help build this trust if our mouth is hidden behind a mask.
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