Perceptions Of Doctors Research Articles

Differences in Knowledge and Perspectives on the Usage of Artificial Intelligence Among Doctors and Medical Students of a Developing Country: A Cross-Sectional Study.

IntroductionRapid advancements are being made in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support digital healthcare transformation and provide evidence-based care. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the knowledge of basic principles, limitations, and applications of AI in healthcare among medical students and doctors of a developing country.MethodsTwo free webinars were hosted for doctors and medical students in northern India (Punjab state) to create awareness about the role of AI in healthcare and the recent advancements made in various medical specialties. The delegates’ perceptions about their knowledge and interest in AI were ascertained using the Likert scale (1 = low, 5 = high) in the post-event questionnaire. Using Chi-square and cross-tabulation analysis, associations were examined between knowledge of AI, gender, medical experience, and other variables.ResultsOut of the total of 621 registrants, 367 filled the post-event questionnaire and were included in the analysis. Although the majority felt that AI will play an important role in delivering healthcare services in the future (74.4%), they did not feel knowledgeable about the applications (79.6%) and limitations of AI (82.8%). A relatively lesser proportion of doctors (51.6%) felt interested to learn more about AI than medical students (69.3%). Furthermore, a lesser proportion of doctors (65.2%) felt that AI will be beneficial for their career as a doctor as compared with medical students (84.4%). The majority of medical students (83.5%) had never attended any webinar/lecture or course on AI in healthcare and felt that they have received minimal advice (80.7%) from their medical school on teaching about AI and its applications. A significantly (P = 0.001) higher proportion of female medical students were unknowledgeable about the principles and applications of AI than male respondents. However, female medical students were significantly (P = 0.004) more interested than male medical students to learn about AI.ConclusionsFormal training courses to teach about AI should be focused on to facilitate coherent and scientifically supported dissemination of knowledge in medical schools and hospitals. Further large-scale studies are needed to understand the perception and attitude of medical students and doctors regarding AI to steer policy development and medical education curriculum changes to spark an interest in emerging technologies and drive innovation.

On the receiving end: have patient perceptions of the side-effects of cancer chemotherapy changed since the twentieth century?

BackgroundStudies in 1983 and 1993 identified and ranked symptoms experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. We repeated the studies to obtain updated information on patient perceptions of chemotherapy-associated symptoms.Patients and methodsA cross-sectional interview and patient-reported outcome questionnaires were administered to out-patients receiving chemotherapy. Patients selected from 124 cards to identify and rank the severity of physical and non-physical symptoms they had experienced and attributed to chemotherapy (primary endpoint). The patient’s medical oncologist and primary chemotherapy nurse were invited to rank the five symptoms they believed the patient would rank as their most severe. We analysed the association of symptoms and their severity with patient demographics, chemotherapy regimen, and patient-reported outcomes. Results were compared to the earlier studies.ResultsOverall, 302 patients completed the interview: median age 58 years (range 17–85); 56% female; main tumour types colorectal 81 (27%), breast 67 (22%), lung 49 (16%); 45% treated with curative intent. Most common symptoms (reported by >50%) were: alopecia, general weakness, effects on family/partner, loss of taste, nausea, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, effects on work/home duties, and having to put life on hold. The most severe symptoms (ranked by >15% in top five) were: concern about effects on family/partner, nausea, fear of the future, fatigue, not knowing what will happen, putting my life on hold, and general weakness. Perceptions of doctors and nurses of patients’ symptom severity closely matched patients’ rankings.ConclusionsCompared to earlier studies, there was an increase in non-physical concerns such as effects on family and future, and a decrease in physical symptoms, particularly vomiting, but nausea, fatigue and general weakness remained bothersome.Highlights• Symptoms related to chemotherapy have changed over time, likely due to less toxic regimens and improvements in supportive care.• Effects on family/partner, fear of the future, not knowing what will happen, and “life on hold” were major issues for patients.• Vomiting has decreased but nausea, fatigue and general weakness remain common symptoms for chemotherapy patients.

Perceptions of traditional Chinese medicine doctors about using wearable devices and traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic instruments: A mixed-methodology study.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the perceptions of traditional Chinese medicine doctors about wearable devices and diagnostic instruments and explore the factors that influence them.MethodsData on the perceptions of the traditional Chinese medicine doctors in Hangzhou, China, about wearable devices and diagnostic instruments were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The author coded the interview responses using grounded theory. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in Hangzhou, China. The responses of 385 traditional Chinese medicine doctors were considered valid. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models were used for analysis.ResultsThis study categorized the perceptions of traditional Chinese medicine about wearable devices and traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic instruments under convenience, reliability, suitable population, machine usage scenario, and the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and information communication technology. Convenience encompassed portability and the convenience of carrying instruments or wearing the devices and operating them and the human–device interface. Reliability encompassed the underlying principles, accuracy, durability, and reference to diagnosis. Suitability for people encompassed age distinction and disease differentiation. Machine usage scenarios included use in daily life, educational institutions, and primary medical institutions. The combination of traditional Chinese medicine and information communication technology encompassed the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and wearable functions and diagnostic interpretation. The perceptions of traditional Chinese medicine doctors were affected by age, title, type of hospital, and specialty.ConclusionsThe use of wearable devices and traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic instruments has gradually been accepted by traditional Chinese medicine doctors. Traditional Chinese medicine doctors need to improve their knowledge and skills for information communication technology integration, and their standardized training should incorporate information communication technology and digital health.

Cardiac considerations during COVID-19 pandemic; a cross-sectional study

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has a negative impact on the population and especially on those with chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or heart conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the relation between COVID-19 infection and cardiac diseases. Also, the knowledge and perception of doctors toward the extra protective measures were assessed to put in consideration for those patients. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire, distributed among cardiac physicians in Saudi Arabia. The applied questionnaire included questions to determine the physician's demographical data such as gender, place of practice, specialty, and experience level. Results: The participants were fully aware of the effects of COVID-19 on cardiac patients. Around 85% of the physicians believed that COVID-19 could affect the heart. It was found that 77% and 59% of physicians believed that patients could have a higher risk of severe disease resulting from COVID-19 with hypertension and previous heart attack, respectively. Also, 93% of physicians believed that chronic cardiac patients who were COVID- 19 positive might show breathlessness, chest pain, and fatigue. When the participants were asked about anticoagulant therapy, it was found that 60% of physicians preferred to use a combination of anticoagulant drugs. All participants rated hand hygiene as an important preventive measure against COVID-19. Approximately 55% of participants were unfamiliar with the ministry of health (MOH) hand h ygiene guidelines. Conclusion: Saudi physicians have a higher percentage of knowledge about the relationship between cardiac diseases and COVID-19 infection but further studies must be conducted for more reliable results.

Surgical resident doctors' perception of their training using Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measure (STEEM) tool in postgraduate surgical residency training institutions in Nigeria.

Postgraduate Medical Education is 'the constellation of learning activities carried out to enable doctors to develop relevant competencies and deeper knowledge in specific subject areas after completion of basic medical education'. The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of surgical resident doctors of their training in accredited institutions in Nigeria, using the Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measure (STEEM) inventory. The study was a cross-sectional observational study that employed the STEEM instrument which was administered online via email to surgical resident doctors in all the surgical residency training institutions in Nigeria accredited by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. The STEEM is a validated 40 item, self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23. Cronbach's alpha was calculated for the whole STEEM and the sub-scales for both reliability and internal consistency. One hundred and sixty-six respondents filled the questionnaire out of 464 people contacted, giving a respondent rate of 35.7%. There were 156 (94.0%) males and 10 (6.0%) female respondents. One hundred respondents (60.2%) had global STEEM scores less than the benchmark of 120, three (1.8%) with scores of 120 and 63 (38.0%) had scores >120. The majority of the respondents in our study indicated dissatisfaction with their operational educational environment experience.

Perception of Junior Doctors and Nurses towards the COVID-19 Disease in a Tertiary Care Centre in North India- A Questionnaire Based Study

Background: Resident or junior doctors and nursing staff make up the backbone of any public health care facility more so in cases of centers affiliated to teaching hospitals. Resident physicians have the most prolonged contact with patients as they represent the first communication interface between the attending physician and the patient. Similarly, the nursing staff has a critical role in patient care. Therefore, to minimize the morbidity and mortality due to Covid-19, it is important to be fully informed and compliant with measures to contain Covid-19.
 Objectives: To assess the perception of the junior doctors and nurses regarding the various aspects of Covid-19 disease.
 Methods: A preformed structured questionnaire with closed end questions was sent to the study subjects using the electronic media. In this study, questionnaire was sent to the convenient sample of 250 persons (100 junior doctors or residents and 150 nurses) working in the clinical departments of the hospital, from July 20 to 27th, 2020. This questionnaire was prepared after literature reviews based on information collected from CDC Atlanta, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), New Delhi and consisted of three sections: the demographic data, the knowledge and practices sections. The data were collected through anonymous, self-rated questionnaire that was distributed to all participants over the internet (WhatsApp and email).
 Results- The questionnaire was sent to 250 persons (100 junior doctors and 150 nurses) working in the clinical departments of the hospital, out of which,139 responded comprising 58 (41.73%) junior doctors and 81 (58.27%) nurses. Overall, 79.14% (n= 110) had sufficient knowledge regarding the disease and majority (94.96%) was practicing safe measures. In univariate logistic regression analysis of various variables with knowledge, the qualification was only variable which was found to be more significantly associated as far as knowledge and practices were concerned (junior doctors as compared to nursing staff).
 Conclusion- Adequate knowledge apart from defining day to day behavior of health care workers, also prepares them for coping strategies in cases of crisis in critical situation like the our world is experiencing now.

Ingroup Bias in Healthcare Contexts: Israeli-Jewish Perceptions of Arab and Jewish Doctors

The influence of group membership on perceptions of outgroup members has been extensively studied in various contexts. This research has indicated a strong tendency for ingroup bias – preferring the ingroup over the outgroup. We seek to further expand on the growing literature regarding the effects of group membership within healthcare contexts. Focusing on the Arab-Jewish context in Israel, the present study explored the influence of group membership on Israeli-Jewish participants’ evaluations when exposed to potential malpractice. Specifically, participants (n = 165) read a description of an Israeli-Jewish or Israeli-Arab physician who was either culpable or non-culpable of malpractice. Consistent with our predictions, findings generally indicated more negative evaluations of the Israeli-Arab physician, regardless of objective culpability. We conclude by discussing the study’s limitations and implications.

Patient-centred interviewing in Outpatient Departments: A doctor-client perspective

Background: The medical interview is the most common undertaking by a physician. On average, a doctor performs over 200,000 interviews during his career. The traditional medical interview was centred on the clinician. In the late 1970s, the bio-psychosocial model was first introduced by Engel and followed by McWhinneys’ as patient-centred approaches which were swiftly adopted into practice by clinicians. However, in Sri Lanka, no clear evidence could be found to suggest that patient-centredness in the medical interview was given much emphasis in the past. Research evidence available from the local setting on this field is limited. Against this backdrop, it is imperative to assess the perceptions of patient-centred interviewing among the doctors as well as patients.Objective: To assess the doctor and patient perceptions on patient-centred interviewing in Outpatient Departments (OPD) consultations.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in OPDs of government hospitals in the Colombo Regional Director of Health Services division. All doctors and a sample of patients over the age of 18 years were included. Data collection was done through a self-administered questionnaire and focus group discussions. Data analysis was done by using MS Excel and framework thematic analysis.Results: Both doctors and patients perceived the short consultation time as a leading challenge to have patient-centred interviews in OPDs. In addition, interviewers being disrespectful to patients, providing inadequate information, not getting the involvement of the patient in decision making, and having poor listening skills were negatively perceived by the patients. Overcrowding, heavy workload, stressful work conditions, lack of privacy, and low priority given by the hospital management to OPD functions were perceived by the doctors as barriers to improve the patient-centred interviews. Even though the majority of the doctors have already undergone communication skills training, their willingness to learn and improve these skills was noted.Conclusions and Recommendations: As perceived by the partakers, the patient-centred interviewing in the OPDs has multiple challenges. Placing more emphasis on organizing communication skills training, ensuring longer consultations, providing a more responsive working environment for the doctors, ensuring privacy and confidentiality of transpired information, reformulating OPD functions are recommended.

The Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV/AIDS Transmission at Public Health Centers: A Phenomenology Study

Objective: Mothers with HIV are likely to transmit the virus to their babies during pregnancy, delivery, or through breastfeeding. According to studies, the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission among mothers that do not receive any form of treatment during pregnancy is approximately 15-45%. In Indonesia, the lack of a prevention program for HIV led to the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). The policies, financial facilities, the healthcare system, and human resources, including health workers, are factors that influence the PMTCT. This research discusses the perceptions of several doctors and midwives regarding the prevention of mother-to-child transmission at public health centers. Furthermore, information regarding policies and implementation of the PMTCT program at public health centers in Yogyakarta was qualitatively collected through semi-structured interviews. Methods: This research involved 6 participants, comprising of 3 heads of public health centers and 3 midwives as the HIV/AIDS program managers. A total of 5 themes were selected for the interview, namely policies of mandatory HIV testing for pregnant mothers, inadequate knowledge of the virus, need for PMTCT training, infrastructure and facilities, and HIV retesting. Results: Pregnant mothers are at potential risk of exposing health workers to HIV. They are also prone to contracting the virus due to poor educational background and less exposure to health information. Therefore, midwives need Prongs 3 and 4 to avoid contracting the virus while assisting pregnant mothers. Presently, there is a shortage of health promotion media for PMTCT, which include both electronic and print educational media. Therefore, the implementation of HIV testing in Indonesia is mandatory for pregnant mothers at their first antenatal care (ANC). However, despite the importance of conducting this test before labor, there is no regulation to ensure its implementation. Conclusion: The success of HIV mitigation is closely associated with the participation of academicians, policymakers, and community networks in providing collaborative planning strategies for the reduction of its spread, and evaluation of the mitigation result.

Physiotherapists\u2019 perception of physicians\u2019 referral of patients for physiotherapy in the Nigerian health system

BackgroundAs the physiotherapy profession gradually evolves into a more autonomous profession, physicians continue to play a major role in the clinical practice of physical therapists globally, particularly as a source of patient referral. Therefore, an evaluation of Nigerian physiotherapists’ (NPTs) perception of physician’s referral (PR) of patients for physiotherapy may be a critical indicator of the relationship between the two professionals in the Nigerian health sector. The objective of the study was to determine the perception of Nigerian NPTs on the PR of patients for physiotherapy and the influence of demographic characteristics on the perception. The study was an online survey involving one hundred and fifty-four respondents. The instrument for the study was an 11-item self-developed questionnaire with two domains: demographics and perception. The participants were blind respondents reached through different physiotherapists’ WhatsApp platforms in Nigeria. The responses were collated electronically after 2 months and analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.ResultsThe respondents have a negative perception of the 9 out of the 11-questionnaire items that were used to test the physiotherapists’ perception of the physicians’ referral of patients for physiotherapy in Nigeria health facilities. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) across the respondents’ gender, place of employment, areas of specialization, and educational qualifications and the respondents’ perception of doctors’ referrals of patients for physiotherapy. However, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in each of the participants’ perceptions across the respondents’ years of practice, with the participants who had less than 5 years of practice having the least score.ConclusionsNigerian physiotherapists have a negative perception of physicians’ referral of patients for physiotherapy, and the perception was only influenced by the years of practice of the respondents.

10 COVID-19 and Changing Perceptions Towards Postgraduate Surgical Training in United Kingdom

Abstract Aim The evolution of the current coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact global healthcare systems on an unprecedented scale. Here, we use data from a local NHS trust within the United Kingdom (UK) to examine the perception of medical students and foundation doctors towards postgraduate surgical training. Method This tri-centric cross-sectional study was carried out via a survey disseminated within the East Sussex Healthcare NHS trust, King’s College Hospital, and King’s College London Medical School. The survey was active for 14 days (from 15th March 2020 to 28th March 2020), comprising a total of 40 foundation doctors and 10 medical students. Results A total of 50 responses were received across five hospitals and their associated medical school. A decrease of 10% and 25% was observed in interest to pursue surgery in medical students and foundation doctors, respectively, following the outbreak of COVID-19. Over 40% of foundation doctors holding postgraduate surgical training offers were not accepting them, and of those, over 40% would not consider reapplying to surgery. There was a drop in interest across a select set of specialities, and this was more obvious where aerosol-generating-procedures was a common occurrence. Conclusions These results highlight the need for a more efficient and effective response to address the immediate situation, as well as a robust contingency plan to avert the repercussions the surgical field could face.

Doctors Perception of the Use of Hydroxychloroquine as Prophylaxis for COVID-19 Infection

Background: The National Task force constituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and various International agencies has recommended the use of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as prophylaxis for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This measure was taken because of the urgent need to protect high-risk individuals like Health Care Workers (HCW) from contracting COVID-19. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the awareness, attitudes, and practices on using HCQ as prophylaxis to prevent COVID-19 infection. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the doctors working in Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi, India, a tertiary care public hospital involved in the care of COVID-19 patients. The invitation to participate was electronically circulated, and the consenting participants were allowed to access an online survey. The survey had a total of 23 questions that were designed to understand the awareness, perception, and practices of doctors regarding the use of HCQ as prophylaxis in COVID-19. Results: About 147 doctors participated in this survey. The major source of knowledge regarding HCQ prophylaxis was quoted as regulatory agencies (44%), particularly ICMR, and the main indication was reported as being a healthcare worker (60%). Most of the participants (91%) believed that the HCQ effect is not clear and felt more scientific data regarding the use of HCQ as prophylaxis for COVID-19. But many doctors (51%) still recommend using HCQ to their colleagues. Conclusion: In this study, we observed that most doctors were aware of the recommendations regarding the HCQ prophylaxis in COVID-19 and had good adherence to therapy but felt the need for more concrete scientific evidence for using HCQ.

Doctor's Assessment on Salary, Income in Vietnam Public Hospital

This article studies the salary and income of doctors at public hospitals in Vietnam based on the survey results of 228 doctors at 5 central hospitals, 9 provincially run and centrally run hospitals and 10 district hospitals. The surveys were conducted during April and May, 2021. Research results show that it is necessary to have a correct viewpoint of the nature and role of salaries, bonuses and welfare regimes in the total income of doctors paid by public hospitals; It is also necessary to compare and evaluate the salary and income of doctors in public hospitals with the salaries and incomes of other industries and fields, other hospitals, and with colleagues in the same hospital; in order that essential changes can be made in state regulations, hospitals administration following a state-owned manner, and doctors perception of salary and income.

Patterns of Smartphone Usage among Clinicians in Clinical Settings

Background: Mobile device use has become a necessity in one’s life. Much less is known about the patterns of mobile use by doctors while working in clinical settings. The aim of this study is to describe the patterns by which doctors use mobile devices in the clinical settings and doctors perceptions related to its use. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted from October 2019 to March 2020 and included 200 doctors working in Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. After obtaining ethical approval and taking informed consent, participants were requested to fill a self-designed questionnaire. Identity was kept anonymous and data was organized and analyzed through SPSS software version 23. Results: Out of 170 participants who responded, 92.4 % reported using mobiles phones in clinical settings for communication purposes, while 49.4 % used mobiles for information access. Only 18.2 % doctors used mobiles for organization and scheduling purposes. 27% percent doctors reported using social media application during clinical hours with Facebook being the most common application. Overall, the participants perceived use of mobiles to be useful and supplemental in patient care but issues of ethics and disruption in patient care with mobile usage needed to be dealt with. Conclusion: There is increasing utility of mobile phones in the lives of doctors in all domains including clinical settings. Clear policies regarding mobile phone usage can help health professionals use this technology in a more productive way to improve patient care. Key words: Mobile, clinical settings, clinicians

How can the perceptions of Korean medicine doctors aid clinical practice guidelines for patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis?: a cross-sectional survey

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the perception of Korean medicine (KM) doctors regarding the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and explore their opinions on the core clinical questions (CQs) of KM clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for patients with degenerative LSS. MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey distributed via e-mail was conducted in December 2016. The study population included registered KM doctors (KMDs) in South Korea. The e-mail contained 13 questionnaire items regarding the doctors’ demographic characteristics and perceptions of the core CQs that should be addressed in CPGs for patients with degenerative LSS. Descriptive analyses were performed to summarize the data. ResultsA total of 680 KMDs responded to the survey. Kidney qi deficiency was the most commonly used diagnostic name for degenerative LSS. Acupuncture ranked first in the treatment used for degenerative LSS and in the treatment desired to be included in the development of CPG recommendations. Ojeok-san (积散, 積散, Wuji-san, Goshaku-san) was the number one herbal medicine, and 5% bee venom pharmacopuncture was the number one pharmacopuncture technique used for degenerative LSS. Drug therapy was the most selected control treatment considered appropriate to assess treatment effectiveness and safety. Pain relief was the most chosen indicator among the indicators considered reasonable to assess therapeutic effectiveness. ConclusionResults of this study are expected to inform the development of key CQs of the KM standard CPG for degenerative LSS. The involvement of KMDs in the CPG development process can help develop useful and available CPGs.

“Through their eyes, I can work” – rural physicians' perceptions about mobile phone use among community health workers – a qualitative analysis

PurposePhysicians who are primary care providers in rural communities form an essential stakeholder group in rural mobile health (mHealth) delivery. This study was exploratory in nature and was conducted in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of rural medical officers (MOs) (rural physicians) regarding the benefits and challenges of mobile phone use by community health workers (CHWs).Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted among 15 MOs belonging to different primary health centers of the district. Only MOs with a minimum five years of experience were recruited in the study using purposive and snowball sampling. This was followed by thematic analysis of the data collected.FindingsThe perceptions of MOs regarding the CHWs' use of mobile phones were largely positive. However, they reported the existence of some challenges that limits the potential of its full use. The findings were categorized under four themes namely, benefits of mobile phone use to CHWs, benefits of mobile phone-equipped CHWs, current mobile phone use by CHWs and barriers to CHWs' mobile phone use. The significant barriers reported in the CHWs' mobile phone use were poor mobile network coverage, technical illiteracy, lack of consistent technical training and call and data expense of the CHWs. The participants recommend an increased number of mobile towers, frequent training in mobile phone use and basic English language for the CHWs as possible solutions to the barriers.Originality/valueStudies examining the perceptions of doctors who are a primary stakeholder group in mHealth as well as in the public health system scenario are limited. To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine the perception of rural doctors regarding CHWs' mobile phone use for work in India.

The impact of artificial intelligence on clinical education: perceptions of postgraduate trainee doctors in London (UK) and recommendations for trainers

BackgroundArtificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly used in clinical practice. Although there is robust evidence that AI innovations can improve patient care, reduce clinicians’ workload and increase efficiency, their impact on medical training and education remains unclear.MethodsA survey of trainee doctors’ perceived impact of AI technologies on clinical training and education was conducted at UK NHS postgraduate centers in London between October and December 2020. Impact assessment mirrored domains in training curricula such as ‘clinical judgement’, ‘practical skills’ and ‘research and quality improvement skills’. Significance between Likert-type data was analysed using Fisher’s exact test. Response variations between clinical specialities were analysed using k-modes clustering. Free-text responses were analysed by thematic analysis.ResultsTwo hundred ten doctors responded to the survey (response rate 72%). The majority (58%) perceived an overall positive impact of AI technologies on their training and education. Respondents agreed that AI would reduce clinical workload (62%) and improve research and audit training (68%). Trainees were skeptical that it would improve clinical judgement (46% agree, p = 0.12) and practical skills training (32% agree, p < 0.01). The majority reported insufficient AI training in their current curricula (92%), and supported having more formal AI training (81%).ConclusionsTrainee doctors have an overall positive perception of AI technologies’ impact on clinical training. There is optimism that it will improve ‘research and quality improvement’ skills and facilitate ‘curriculum mapping’. There is skepticism that it may reduce educational opportunities to develop ‘clinical judgement’ and ‘practical skills’. Medical educators should be mindful that these domains are protected as AI develops. We recommend that ‘Applied AI’ topics are formalized in curricula and digital technologies leveraged to deliver clinical education.

The impact of lack of affection and poor social ties in the nurses work environment: evidence from a Portuguese sample

Abstract Background Significant evidence has pointed out the positive impact of caring with love. Nurses are the healthcare professionals whose love gives a self–sacrificing spirit. However, little is still know about how lack of affection and unhealthy social ties affects Nurses in the work environment. This study sought to explore the association between affection, social ties and work environment. Methods Descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study conducted with 36 Nurses of a private hospital in a city of Porto, Portugal. The ‘Fantastic Lifestyle’ and ‘Nursing Practice Work Environment’ scales, adapted and validated to the Portuguese population, with good internal consistency and reliability, were applied. The study was conducted between February and March 2020. Statistical analyses were performed through SPSS. Results Female nurses (80.6%), single (61.1%) and with an average age of 29 years (SD = 5.15) prevailed. 94.4% almost always have someone to talk to about important matters and 88.9% report that they almost always gave and received affection. Weak social ties negatively affect the perception that doctors and nurses have a good working relationship (χ2 = 8.145; P = 0.043) and collaboration (χ2 = 8.145; P = 0.043), resulting in a depreciation of colleagues skills (χ2 = 8.603; P = 0.014). Lack of affection negatively affects the perception of doctors and nurses collaboration (χ2 = 17.708; P = 0.001), the updating of nursing care plans (χ2 = 9.267; P = 0.008) and the relevance of nursing diagnosis applicability (χ2 = 7.650; P = 0.022). Conclusions Findings encourage the need to pay attention to nurses’ affection level and social ties strengthen, once the imbalance of one of these dimensions negatively influences the quality of work environment, impacting the quality of health care provided.

Doctor–Patient Communication in Primary Health Care: A Mixed-Method Study in Fiji

From a clinical perspective, effective and efficient communication is part of a strategy to ensure doctors are providing high-quality care to their patients. Despite the positive impact of effective doctor–patient communication on health outcomes, limited information is available on this in Fiji. This study was carried out to determine the current patients’ perception of doctors’ communication behaviour and identify factors affecting the doctor–patient communication in Fiji. This mixed-method study was conducted in the outpatient setting of three randomly selected health centres in the Suva Subdivision, Fiji. For the quantitative phase, systematic random sampling was used to select the 375 participants who completed the structured questionnaire; of those, 20 participants were selected for the qualitative interview. From the patients’ perception, 45.6% of them perceived doctors’ communication behaviour as good, 53.6% as fair, and 0.8% as poor communication behaviour. Qualitative findings highlight factors such as the attitude of the doctors, their approach, their interaction with the patients, and them providing an explanation as important factors during doctor–patient communication. In Fiji, the majority of patients perceived doctors’ communication behaviour as fair to good and the doctors’ skills were important for effective doctor–patient communication. This study highlighted the importance of doctor–patient communication and suggested that doctors might not be practicing patient-centred care and communication; thus, they need to upgrade their patient-centred communication skills.

Perceptions of medical students regarding medical profession

Introduction: Medical students enter this profession with a set of perceptions toward the practice of medicine. The study of these factors becomes important as it may provide an insight into the perceptions of doctors toward medical profession to maintain a high standard of professionalism among medical practitioners. Material &amp; Methods: This study was conducted by the department of community medicine of a premier medical institute of Delhi and involved the analysis of 457 feedback forms filled by medical students about their perceptions regarding medical profession at the time of entry and at the end of graduation. The responses were read several times and categorized into similar thematic areas. Results: At the time of choosing profession, 74.8% mentioned the reasons as, its respectable status in the society, 71.8% mentioned their interest to serve people, 26.9% the possibility of huge financial earning, and 21.2% the ease of getting employment. At the end of graduation, 312 (68.3%) considered ease of getting a job and 251 (54.9%) high paying capacity. The proportion of participants mentioning the profession to be prestigious and respectful (50.1%) and intention to serve people (51.2%) considerably declined. Regarding the reasons for change, majority (74.6%) mentioned stress, 66.7% felt it less rewarding, and 54.2% mentioned difficulty to maintain work-life balance. Conclusion: There was a change in students' perceptions at the end of graduation as compared to the time of entry. Their focus shifted from being in a respectful profession and serving community to getting jobs and earning money.