Consumers Weigh in on Which TV Doc They Would Want as Their Own:Survey Results from the American Board of Medical Specialties Find Dr. House Most Loved/Hated ...( Gregory Hous...),Health

Gregory House (from the FOX program “House”) is America’s most loved and most hated TV doctor and the medical professional most would want as their own doctor, according to a survey conducted by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The survey found that many people responded positively to Dr. House’s medical capabilities, while at the same time, many respondents didn’t like him because of his gruff bedside manner and poor communication skills.

EVANSTON, Ill. (Business Wire EON) November 18, 2008 -- Ironically, the results of the survey suggest the qualities people value most in a physician are bedside manner or communication skills (95 percent) and board certification (93 percent).

The survey data reinforce a commentary published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that calls for greater emphasis on "emotional intelligence" in the training of doctors. The authors, from Stanford University, contend that emotional sensitivity and increased communications and interpersonal skills can improve healthcare outcomes for patients.

"If Dr. House were a real board-certified physician, he would be required to participate in lifelong learning through the ABMS Maintenance of Certification (ABMS MOC) program, which includes ongoing assessment of a doctor's communications skills," said Kevin B. Weiss, MD, president and CEO of ABMS. According to Dr. Weiss, ABMS also is currently exploring tools to help assess physicians by surveying their patients' experiences.

Other findings from the survey:

From a list of 13 fictional television doctors, Gregory House is the one most respondents (20 percent) would like to have as their doctor. Following closely behind are Marcus Welby ("Marcus Welby, M.D.," 13 percent), Hawkeye Pierce ("M*A*S*H," 11 percent) and John
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