In the Hospital: Does Anyone Know What’s Happening?

In a hospital setting doctor and patient perceptions of care may differ.

When you or a family member has been in the hospital, do you know the names of the physicians who visit or the exact names of prescribed medications? Have you been informed of the side effects that might occur? Apparently a lot of people — physicians and patients — perceive things differently according to interesting survey results published this week.

Check out the August 9, 2010 LA Times Booster Shots blog for a report describing a research survey on doctor and patient perceptions conducted at Waterbery Hospital in Connecticut. The Archives of Internal Medicine published “Communications Discrepancies Between Physicians and Hospitalized Patients” on August 9, 2010. Links to the survey results and abstract are at the Booster Shots story.