Patient attitudes toward the use of surgical scrubs in a military hospital clinic

Jon D Lund^1,2, James E Rohrer^3,4, Susana Goldfarb¹

¹Department of Ob/Gyn, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA; ²Department of Ob/Gyn, ³Department of Family and Community Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA; ⁴Department of Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

Objective: To determine whether obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) patients in a large military teaching hospital have a negative attitude toward the wearing of surgical scrubs by ob/gyn providers.

Methods: A convenience sample questionnaire on patient preferences, including two questions relating independently to military and civilian staff attire, was offered to clinic patients over a 2 month period. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify patient groups less accepting of the surgical scrubs in clinics.

Results: Over ninety-one percent of respondents viewed surgical scrubs with a white coat to be acceptable clinical attire for military or civilian providers. Eight percent preferred the more formal uniform or business dress. Non-white and Hispanic patients had higher rates of preference for more formal dress.

Conclusions: The majority of ob/gyn patients surveyed did not view the use of surgical scrubs with a white coat negatively.

Keywords: physician attire, patient satisfaction, surgical scrubs