Faculty mentor/PI email address
jim010@aol.cm
Is your research Teaching and Learning based?
1
Keywords
Emergency Department; physician posture; patient satisfaction; nonverbal communication; perceived time; bedside communication
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background:
Sitting during patient encounters is commonly recommended in communication training, with the assumption that it improves patient satisfaction. However, the empirical evidence supporting this recommendation in Emergency Department (ED) settings appears limited.
Objective:
To review the existing literature examining physician posture (sitting versus standing) and its association with patient satisfaction and perceived communication quality.
Methods:
Narrative review of ED and non-ED studies evaluating posture during clinical encounters, with attention to study design, sample size, setting, and outcome measures.
Results:
ED-specific evidence remains heterogeneous. Some studies demonstrate that sitting increases patients’ perception of time spent at bedside without increasing actual duration, while others show no significant difference in overall satisfaction scores. Inpatient trials suggest environmental nudges (e.g., chair placement) can increase sitting rates and modestly influence patient experience metrics.
Conclusion:
Physician posture may function primarily as a perceptual signal rather than a direct mechanism influencing satisfaction. Current evidence does not support posture as a dominant driver of patient experience in the ED. Further methodologically rigorous research is warranted.
Disciplines
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms | Interprofessional Education | Medicine and Health Sciences
Physician Bedside Communication Posture (Sitting versus Standing) in Relation to Patient Satisfaction: A Focused Literature Review and Areas for Potential Research
Background:
Sitting during patient encounters is commonly recommended in communication training, with the assumption that it improves patient satisfaction. However, the empirical evidence supporting this recommendation in Emergency Department (ED) settings appears limited.
Objective:
To review the existing literature examining physician posture (sitting versus standing) and its association with patient satisfaction and perceived communication quality.
Methods:
Narrative review of ED and non-ED studies evaluating posture during clinical encounters, with attention to study design, sample size, setting, and outcome measures.
Results:
ED-specific evidence remains heterogeneous. Some studies demonstrate that sitting increases patients’ perception of time spent at bedside without increasing actual duration, while others show no significant difference in overall satisfaction scores. Inpatient trials suggest environmental nudges (e.g., chair placement) can increase sitting rates and modestly influence patient experience metrics.
Conclusion:
Physician posture may function primarily as a perceptual signal rather than a direct mechanism influencing satisfaction. Current evidence does not support posture as a dominant driver of patient experience in the ED. Further methodologically rigorous research is warranted.