Patient Preferences for Anesthesiologist Attire During Preoperative Visits in China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

BACKGROUND: It is important for anesthesiologists to leave good impressions and build rapport with patients during preoperative visits. However, patient preferences for anesthesiologist attire have not been well studied in China. PURPOSE: To characterize patient perceptions of anesthesiologist attire during preoperative visits. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, we included adult patients who underwent elective operations in various surgical departments. We presented photographs of both male and female models wearing six combinations of attire (formal in a white coat buttoned, formal in a white coat unbuttoned, casual in a white coat buttoned, casual in a white coat unbuttoned, scrubs in a white coat buttoned, and scrubs in a coat of the same green color buttoned) in a randomized sequence. Participants were asked to rate each attire combination in five domains, including professionalism, experience, attitude, approachability, and caring. RESULTS: Of the 541 surveys distributed, 516 (95.4%) were completed and included in the analysis. The majority of respondents were female [389 (75.4%)] and aged 31–45 years [234 (45.3%)]. The combination of scrubs in a buttoned coat of the same color had the highest composite rating score [median (interquartile range): 50 (45, 50), adjusted P<0.001 compared with the other five combinations]. There was no significant difference in preference for standardized disposable or personalized cloth operating caps. Respondents’ age was independently associated with the perceived importance of anesthesiologist attire (46–60 years vs 18–35 years: odds ratio 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.12–4.18, P=0.021). CONCLUSION: Patients prefer anesthesiologists wearing scrubs in coats of the same color. Standardizing anesthesiologist attire based on these findings may improve patient satisfaction.