Researchers distributed one patient education vignette and questionnaire to primary care and emergency department clinical physicians at five teaching hospitals. The questionnaires examined diagnostic and treatment recommendations and asked about specific tests, medications, therapeutic procedures, activity and referral to other services.
The researchers found that 75 percent of the physicians had less than five years of clinical practice experience. Patient presentation, describing the patients’ emotional state when meeting with the medical professional, was the most influential factor, according to the report.
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