Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Doctors: You have a PR problem

Kaci Durbin, MD
Physician
June 12, 2017
Share
Tweet
Share

Over the last few decades, public perception of physicians has been on the decline. Many issues are to blame, but a largely overlooked contributing factor is the media. Physicians are often portrayed negatively, with stories of narcotic abuse, greed and medical mistakes dominating the news. Rather than fight back, physician organizations have stood silently and allowed their reputations to be tarnished. On the other hand, nursing organizations have been busy pursuing many successful public relations campaigns, which have resulted in an image of compassion and intelligence. They have done this, however, at the expense of physicians.

During the mid-20th century, to be a doctor was one of the most prestigious careers one could achieve. Yet, survey data from 2012 revealed that only 34 percent of Americans have “great confidence” in physicians, compared with 73% in 1966 (Blendon 2014). News, social media and magazines are filled with negative stories about doctors. Bloggers tell patients to ignore their physicians’ advice and “do that home birth” or “say no to that vaccine.” It seems that the public trusts actors and Playboy playmates more than their doctors. This loss in social status and negative public perception has greatly affected physicians, and subsequently changed the care they provide to their patients. In a 2008 survey, only 6% of physicians described their morale as positive.

While physician image has been on the decline, public perception of nurses has continued to grow. As the last few years of Gallup polls have shown, nurses are consistently rated highest on honesty and ethical standards while the opposite trend has been observed for physicians. As the latest Gallup poll in 2014 revealed, over 80% of American state nurses have “very high” or “high” standards of honesty and ethics, while only 65% of Americans feel the same way about doctors. Various nursing organizations including the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) have been active when it comes to improving the image of nursing, and it has paid off. Unfortunately, physician reputation was damaged.

The “ACNM Project,” launched by the ACNM, has focused on making nurse midwives the “norm for women’s health care service in the United States.” Their aggressive public relations campaign has been successful. Midwives attended 3% of births in 1989 compared with 10% today. Rather than show patients the benefits of their profession, however, they have focused on negative rhetoric towards obstetricians. Many midwifery websites discuss high Cesarean rates or “unnecessary” interventions of physicians. The website of the American College of Nurse-Midwives is very clear on “disruptions to a normal healthy birth” which include medications and Cesarean delivery. Rather than seeing an obstetrician as a doctor that has a woman and her baby’s best interest at heart, the doctor is painted as an overbearing, controlling surgeon.

Nursing organizations have also been active on social media. Facebook and Twitter have been overrun with rhetoric that builds up the nursing profession while tearing down physicians. The AANP promoted themselves on social media with the slogan “brains of a doctor and heart of a nurse,” implying that physicians are lacking in the heart department. Memes stating: “Be nice to nurses. We keep the doctors from accidentally killing you,” and “Behind every great doctor is an even greater nurse,” shed physicians in a negative light, painting a picture of a dim-witted doctor who needs a smart nurse to help him do his job.

For public perceptions of physicians to change, doctors as a group need to focus on a public relations campaign. The American Medical Association (AMA), the largest physician organization in the country lacks a true public relations department that represents physicians. Does anyone represent our interests? We, as physicians, can make a comeback in the public eye. We need a public relations department.

A PR department needs to research why the public distrusts and has negative feelings toward physicians. Once the causes are known, physician organizations can work to correct the problem.

If, based on nursing organization rhetoric, the public believes physicians are uneducated or just as experienced as a nurse, then the public needs to be informed otherwise. The average nurse practitioner has 1.5-3 years of training in a Master’s’ program, or about 500-1000 clinical hours, after college. A family medicine physician, on the other hand, will work 6,000 clinical hours in medical school, which lasts four years, followed by a 3-year residency, averaging an additional 9,000-10,000 clinical hours. Those numbers would be even higher for specialists.

Perhaps, the public has a negative view of physicians because they lack in a specific area of knowledge. Maybe people do not like most doctors’ “bedside manner” or speaking styles. Whatever the issue, we need to know about it and address it.

In addition, as nursing organizations have used rhetoric to improve their public perception, physician organizations can do the same. Positive stories of a physician saving lives can change the view from impatient surgeon to caring and skilled patient advocate. A social media image of an obstetrician crying with her patient after a fetal loss could go a long way. Where are the memes, Facebook posts and tweets praising doctors?

Medicine has gone from a paternalistic field in which complete decision-making power was placed in the hands of the doctor to the “customer is always right” model that is happening now. A middle ground is needed. Once this occurs, physicians will not only be more satisfied in their careers, but patients will be more satisfied with their care. Physician organizations need to fight back.

Kaci Durbin is an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Prev

Medical school didn't teach me how to fix a patient's broken heart

June 12, 2017 Kevin 0
…
Next

Stop asking doctors for free advice

June 12, 2017 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: OB/GYN

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Medical school didn't teach me how to fix a patient's broken heart
Next Post >
Stop asking doctors for free advice

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Kaci Durbin, MD

  • Online physician reviews: Patients are the ones who will suffer

    Kaci Durbin, MD
  • Are hospitals a dangerous place to have a baby?

    Kaci Durbin, MD

Related Posts

  • Doctors: Fight for your role as our physicians

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • The power of advocacy: How doctors can be empowered physicians

    Amaryllis Sánchez Wohlever, MD
  • Doctors die. But the good ones leave a legacy.

    Jaime B. Gerber, MD
  • Why do doctors who hate being doctors still practice?

    Kristin Puhl, MD
  • Doctors: It’s time to unionize

    Thomas D. Guastavino, MD
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD

More in Physician

  • Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.

    Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD
  • What independent and locum tenens doctors need to know about fair market value

    Dennis Hursh, Esq
  • How one simple breakfast question can transform patient care

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • Nurses are the backbone of medicine—and they deserve better

    Matthew Moeller, MD
  • How to change the world: Start by making your bed

    Neil Baum, MD
  • From rejection to resilience: my journey through emergency medicine residency

    Dr. Syed Hasan
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Meds
    • Why no medical malpractice firm responded to my scientific protocol

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

      Adena Dacy, CCC-SLP | Conditions
    • When doctors die in silence: Confronting the epidemic of violence against physicians

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
    • Doctors speak out: Why we’re saying no to burnout

      Aisha Quarles, MD | Physician
    • Avoiding leadership pitfalls: strategies for success in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How to build a culture where physicians feel valued [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients

      Charles LeBaron, MD | Conditions
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

      Adena Dacy, CCC-SLP | Conditions
    • Navigating physician non-competes: a strategy for staying put [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • In the absence of physician mentorship, who will train the next generation of primary care clinicians?

      Kenneth Botelho, DMSc, PA-C | Education
    • Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.

      Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD | Physician
    • What independent and locum tenens doctors need to know about fair market value

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Physician
    • Health care’s data problem: the real obstacle to AI success

      Jay Anders, MD | Tech

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 102 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Meds
    • Why no medical malpractice firm responded to my scientific protocol

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

      Adena Dacy, CCC-SLP | Conditions
    • When doctors die in silence: Confronting the epidemic of violence against physicians

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
    • Doctors speak out: Why we’re saying no to burnout

      Aisha Quarles, MD | Physician
    • Avoiding leadership pitfalls: strategies for success in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How to build a culture where physicians feel valued [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients

      Charles LeBaron, MD | Conditions
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

      Adena Dacy, CCC-SLP | Conditions
    • Navigating physician non-competes: a strategy for staying put [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • In the absence of physician mentorship, who will train the next generation of primary care clinicians?

      Kenneth Botelho, DMSc, PA-C | Education
    • Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.

      Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD | Physician
    • What independent and locum tenens doctors need to know about fair market value

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Physician
    • Health care’s data problem: the real obstacle to AI success

      Jay Anders, MD | Tech

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Doctors: You have a PR problem
102 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...