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.