Doctors' experiences when treating doctor-patients: a scoping review.
general practitioners
physicians, family
physicians, practice patterns
physician–patient relations
physician’s role
Journal
BJGP open
ISSN: 2398-3795
Titre abrégé: BJGP Open
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101713531
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
28 Nov 2023
28 Nov 2023
Historique:
received:
16
05
2023
revised:
12
06
2023
accepted:
06
07
2023
pubmed:
22
7
2023
medline:
22
7
2023
entrez:
21
7
2023
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
To work effectively, doctors need to look after themselves. They often delay seeking medical care for a range of reasons. Once they do, there is evidence that the doctors treating them ('treating doctors') can struggle to provide optimal care. To examine existing literature on what is currently known about experiences for treating doctors, in particular GPs, when their patient is also a doctor. A scoping review of articles written in English. Using the JBI methodological framework for scoping reviews, five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL [Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health], Google Scholar, and Scopus) were searched from the database start date until 31 December 2022. Qualitative and quantitative studies reporting the treating doctor's experience, guidelines for treating doctors, expert opinion articles, and editorials were included. Grey literature was considered, searching the first 10 pages of two Google searches. Forty-eight articles from eight countries met inclusion criteria, of which 12 were research studies. The main areas of focus were as follows: affective responses, which included anxiety about being criticised, concern about upsetting the doctor-patient, and discomfort regarding the acknowledgement that doctors get sick; relational factors, which included boundary issues, over-identifying with the doctor-patient, treating them as a colleague rather than a patient, and role ambiguity; confidentiality, which incorporated both affective and relational aspects; and influence of medical culture and socialisation on dynamics between treating doctor and doctor-patient. These findings have been distilled into a list of key suggestions for the treating doctor. Doctors can find treating doctor-patients anxiety-provoking and challenging. The sources of this discomfort are multifaceted, and more empirical research is needed to better understand and address the complex relationship between treating doctor and doctor-patient.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
To work effectively, doctors need to look after themselves. They often delay seeking medical care for a range of reasons. Once they do, there is evidence that the doctors treating them ('treating doctors') can struggle to provide optimal care.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To examine existing literature on what is currently known about experiences for treating doctors, in particular GPs, when their patient is also a doctor.
DESIGN & SETTING
METHODS
A scoping review of articles written in English.
METHOD
METHODS
Using the JBI methodological framework for scoping reviews, five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL [Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health], Google Scholar, and Scopus) were searched from the database start date until 31 December 2022. Qualitative and quantitative studies reporting the treating doctor's experience, guidelines for treating doctors, expert opinion articles, and editorials were included. Grey literature was considered, searching the first 10 pages of two Google searches.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Forty-eight articles from eight countries met inclusion criteria, of which 12 were research studies. The main areas of focus were as follows: affective responses, which included anxiety about being criticised, concern about upsetting the doctor-patient, and discomfort regarding the acknowledgement that doctors get sick; relational factors, which included boundary issues, over-identifying with the doctor-patient, treating them as a colleague rather than a patient, and role ambiguity; confidentiality, which incorporated both affective and relational aspects; and influence of medical culture and socialisation on dynamics between treating doctor and doctor-patient. These findings have been distilled into a list of key suggestions for the treating doctor.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Doctors can find treating doctor-patients anxiety-provoking and challenging. The sources of this discomfort are multifaceted, and more empirical research is needed to better understand and address the complex relationship between treating doctor and doctor-patient.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37479247
pii: BJGPO.2023.0090
doi: 10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0090
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023, The Authors.