Doctors’ experiences when treating doctor–patients: a scoping review

Abstract

BackgroundTo work effectively, doctors need to look after themselves. They often delay seeking medical care for a range of reasons. Once they do, there is evidence that treating doctors can struggle to provide optimal care.AimTo examine existing literature on what is currently known about experiences for treating doctors, in particular general practitioners, when their patient is also a doctor.Design & settingScoping reviewMethodUsing the JBI methodological framework for scoping reviews, five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Scopus) were searched from start date until December 31, 2022. Qualitative and quantitative studies reporting the treating doctor’s experience, guidelines for treating doctors, expert opinion articles and editorials were included. Grey literature was considered, searching the first ten pages of two Google searches.ResultsForty-eight articles from eight countries met inclusion criteria, of which 12 were research studies. Four areas of focus were:Affective dimensions: anxiety about being criticised, concern about upsetting the doctor-patient, discomfort regarding the acknowledgement that doctors get sick;Relational dimensions: Boundary issues, over-identifying with the doctor-patient, treating them as a colleague rather than a patient;Confidentiality: Incorporating both affective and relational aspects;Influence of medical socialisation on dynamics between treating doctor and doctor-patient.These findings are distilled into a list of key suggestions for the treating doctor.ConclusionsDoctors can find treating doctor-patients anxiety-provoking and challenging. The sources of this discomfort are multifaceted, and more empirical research is needed to better understand and address the complex relationship between treating doctor and doctor-patient.