Patients are reluctant to disagree with your recommendations  when they prefer a different course of action, 

To find out, researchers in California surveyed 1,340  patients aged 40 years or more who visited a doctor within the past year. Their  goal was to “describe patients’ intentions to engage in shared decision-making  communication behaviors in response to a hypothetical preference-sensitive  clinical scenario,” in this case a treatment for heart disease.

The survey found that 93% of participating patients could  see themselves asking their doctors questions, and 94% said they could imagine  letting their doctors know what they prefer.

Only 14% of those asked, however, said they would tell their  doctors that they disagreed with what a doctor recommended if it differed from  the patient’s preferences.

Most of the patients asked (79%) acknowledged that they are  capable of disagreeing, although only 14% thought disagreeing with a doctor was  socially acceptable, and 15% thought disagreeing with a doctor would result in  a good outcome.

Of the study participants who would not disagree with their  physicians, 47% said they feared being seen as a difficult patient, 40% thought  disagreeing would damage their relationship with their doctor, and 52% worried  that disagreeing might interfere with getting the care they wanted.

The authors conclude that patients must be made to feel  comfortable about raising objections with their doctors, but a change in  attitude and behavior may have to occur first.

Results of the study were published online first in the July  issue of the 

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Communication in the exam room can get complicated, according to recently published research. Discover why your patients are reluctant to reveal their preferences--and what needs to happen for them to change.