One in Six Patients Labeled 'Difficult'

Mental health disorders, chronic pain drive provider perceptions; less experienced clinicians report more challenging encounters.

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Seventeen percent of primary care patients are perceived as difficult, particularly those with mental health issues and chronic pain.
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Less experienced physicians are more likely to label patients as difficult, with residents rating encounters as challenging more often than attending physicians.
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Patients labeled as difficult report worse outcomes, including unmet expectations and lower satisfaction with their healthcare providers.
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The study highlights the need for better training in communication and psychosomatic expertise to improve care for difficult patients.
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Labels like 'difficult patient' can influence responsibility, stigma, and treatment possibilities in the clinician-patient relationship.

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