The Article in Brief

Influence of Watchful Waiting on Satisfaction and Anxiety Among Patients Seeking Care for Unexplained Complaints

Marloes A. van Bokhoven and colleagues

Background Blood tests are often ordered for patients with unexplained symptoms. Although such tests may not provide a diagnosis, many doctors feel they will reassure patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether immediate ordering of tests, compared with watchful waiting (in which the doctor observes the patient's condition but doesn't take immediate action), influences patient satisfaction with the doctor visit and anxiety after the visit.

What This Study Found Among patients with unexplained symptoms, ordering blood tests does not increase satisfaction with the visit or lower their anxiety. Instead, patients value specific aspects of physician-patient communication, such as feeling that they are taken seriously, discussing testing with the doctor, and understanding the seriousness of their complaints.

Implications

• Primary care doctors may overestimate the importance of additional testing in patients with unexplained complaints and underestimate how much they themselves can contribute to their patients’ well-being by discussing their worries.