The "Difficult" Inpatient, a Qualitative Study of Physician Perspectives.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies exploring difficult inpatients have mostly focused on psychiatric inpatients.

Objective

To explore the characteristics of difficult medicine inpatients.

Design

Qualitative study using focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were recorded, transcribed, and coded (MAXQDA) using thematic content analysis.

Participants

Medicine inpatient providers at a tertiary care facility.

Key results

Our sample consisted of 28 providers (6 hospitalists, 10 medicine attendings, 6 medicine residents, and 6 interns). Theme 1: Provider experience: Difficult inpatients were time-consuming and evoked emotional responses including frustration and dysphoria. Theme 2: Patient characteristics: Included having personality disorders or me

SUBMITTER: Jackson JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11281999 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature