Sitting vs. standing: The impact of surgeon posture on patient perception of visit duration in the outpatient plastic surgery clinic

Abstract

Background

Patients commonly feel a medical professional spends more time with them when the provider is seated during a visit rather than standing. However, no empirical evidence supports this claim in the outpatient setting or specifically in plastic surgery clinics. This study aimed to provide quantitative evidence to support or refute this perception.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study at a single surgeon’s outpatient plastic surgery clinic. Patients were randomly assigned to either the sitting or standing group, and the surgeon entered the room and conducted the visit as usual with the assigned posture. Data on the timed and perceived interaction times were collected and analyzed.

Results

A total of 131 patients were enrolled. The mean timed visit duration recorded by the student researcher and the mean perceived visit time reported by patients were significantly longer in the sitting group. However, neither the absolute nor proportional difference between timed and perceived visit durations varied significantly between groups.

Conclusion

These results suggest that patients accurately estimated the duration of their visits regardless of the surgeon’s posture. Therefore, the increased perception of time spent with providers during sitting visits is attributable to an actual longer visit duration rather than an illusion created by the provider’s posture. Thus, sitting offers no substantial benefit in enhancing the perception of a longer interaction. The real time spent with the patient ultimately influences the patient’s experience.