Sitting is satisfying, for doctors and for patients

I recently read an article (1) suggesting that sitting is satisfying, for doctors and for patients. The article stated that: “Sitting at a patient’s bedside is one of the behaviors associated with better doctor-patient communication, patient satisfaction, and trust.” (1)

One would have thought this was simple common sense, but apparently we have moved far from this simplicity in modern medicine.

“In the group in which the doctor sat to converse, patient satisfaction was significantly higher, with an overall difference of 3.9% (P = .02). Patients felt that the information provided was better (72% vs 52%; P =.03), and their confidence in the proposed care was also higher (58% vs 35%; P = .01).” (1)

This was a small study, but the principles it illustrates are sound.

Why does it matter whether we sit, or not?

Patients love to feel valued. And taking the time to sit and converse with them, even though this actually takes no longer (1) than standing by the bedside, gives them the impression that you actually want to be with them, rather than being in a rush to finish with them and move on to the next.

Medicine is also a very hierarchical profession.  Taking the time and care to sit and meet people, face-to-face and eye-to-eye, rather than looking down on them from on high, makes them feel more equal, more valued and more willing and able to interact, to tell their stories and ask questions about their care.

Taking the time to just sit and be with our patients helps them to feel that they matter to us; that they are not just another number or “the gallbladder in bed 4”; and that we actually care about them and want them to understand what is happening with their health and what we are going to do to support them in their healing journey.

The study concluded that:

“Chair placement is a simple, no cost, low tech intervention that increases a physician’s likelihood of sitting during a bedside consultation and resulted in higher patients’ scores for both satisfaction and communication.” (2)

It is such a simple act to sit with our patients. It does not take any more time, but it makes the world of difference to our interactions with them and to our ongoing relationships with them.

Plus, it takes a load off our legs and gives our bodies some respite in our busy days. A moment of repose in our otherwise whirlwind of motion.

Of course, there are some practical realities to consider here. On behalf of all our friends in infection control, we cannot sit on the patient’s bed, so if we are to embrace the findings of this study, we need to provide a chair for the doctor to sit on, in a place they can easily access, that is clean and close to the patient. And if such a chair were to be made available for all, our hardworking nurses could also take a moment to sit and rest while they spoke with patients about their care.

So next time you go to see a patient at their bedside, just sit down! They will appreciate it, and so will your body. The more we take the time to care for ourselves in these simple moments in our day, the more space we have to genuinely care for our patients and for everyone in our lives.

References:

1. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/seated-doctors-satisfy-patients-2024a1000ftl?ecd=mkm_ret_240904_mscpmrk-OUS_ICYMI_etid6798970&uac=170126PV&impID=6798970
2. https://www.bmj.com/content/383/bmj-2023-076309