Survey: Quality and Thoroughness of your Yearly Physical Exams

I am a med student currently conducting a research study on the quality and thoroughness of yearly physical exams. As consumers of healthcare, we always want to make sure that we are getting good quality care from our healthcare provider (nurse practitioner, family practitioner, general practitioner, gynecologist, internist, pediatrician, etc). The quality and thoroughness of the examinations can have a huge impact on your health.

Please participate in this completely anonymous survey. Once you complete it, you will be able to compare your experience to others as you will be able to see the results instantly. The survey can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GbbwlkMfqly1O9ox9PpIqG89jW1TtcCTQTuxdNJQygY/viewform?usp=send_form

Thank you for your help. Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts.

Thank you for posting, very informative.

I just tried to take the survey. It includes allot of assumptions such as style of underwear and gender for non-genital portions of the exam. It also assumes that a PCP actually performs an annual exam. Each section should include a choice that MY DOCTOR DOESN'T DO THAT.

I'm on Medicare. My exam consists of visiting various specialists to part out the exam and 'save money.' there is no single physician that does a comprehensive exam. In fact, I visited my PCP yesterday. I never even sat on the exam table. Vitals, talk and lab orders.

I'm a melanoma survivor. Yes, I go to the dermatologist regularly, but I want every medical professional to look at the appropriate parts of my skin for their exam. More eyes = earlier detection and error checking.

Great survey! Interesting!

Thank you for the feedback. Thank you to those who have taken the survey so far. I have received some great responses. You can see the results so far here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GbbwlkMfqly1O9ox9PpIqG89jW1TtcCTQTuxdNJQygY/viewanalytics Keep hitting the refresh button from time to time to get updated results.

Very nice survey.

I started to do the survey until I got to the male genital exam, at which point I couldn't proceed because they didn't have any responses for "did not perform genital exam." Hell, the last exam I had was one of those quick five-minute ones where I didn't even have to take off my shirt.

Here is some interesting information I have found out so far. 300 have taken the survey so far. Of that 300........

49% see a male physician while 51% see a female. 58% of respondents would prefer to have a female physician.

Of the 300 who have responded, 118 (40%) see a family practitioner for their yearly exams.

- 45 are females

28 patients see a female practitioner

17 patients see a male practitioner

- 73 are males

33 see a female practitioner

40 see a male practitioner

Out of the 118 family practitioners…………………………..

9 male practitioners give their male patients a complete male genitalia exam (hernia, penis, testicles, rectal)

6 female practitioners give their male patients a complete male genitalia exam

5 male practitioners give their female patients a complete pelvic exam

8 female practitioners give their female patients a complete pelvic examination

34 (11%) see an internist for their exams

25 internists are male

- 19 male patients see a male internist

- 6 females see a female internist

9 internists are female

- 6 males see a female internist

- 3 females see a female internist

Out of the 34 internists………………

12 male internists give their male patients a complete male genitalia exam

1 female internist give their male patients a complete male genitalia exam

I too like telephone pole tried to take the test but it stopped when I got to the genital exam. My female doctor did not do a genital or hernia exam. She had me roll onto my side to check the prostate, but otherwise avoided that whole area. She listened to my lungs from my back due to a cough, but never my heart. She asked how I was doing, but never asked specific questions.

For the past couple years, I have been conducting research (via online surveys) on physical examinations to determine the quality and thoroughness of the actual examination. You can participate in my current anonymous survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GbbwlkMfqly1O9ox9PpIqG89jW1TtcCTQTuxdNJQygY/viewform

During your yearly physical exam, you should be completely examined from head to toe and the following should always be examined: HEENT (head, ears eyes, nose, throat), cardiovascular (heart and arteries), pulmonary (lungs), abdominal (auscultation and palpation), genitourinary (male genitalia - prostate exam after age 40, female genitalia - pelvic exam), musculoskeletal, and neurological. A good complete exam (with doctor examining you) should last between 10-20 minutes.

4,924 individuals participated in the surveys so far. 2,462 are male and 2,462 are female.

Gender of physician

2,413 see a male physician 49%

2,518 see a female physician 51%

Preferred Physician Gender

2,259 prefer a male physician 45%

2,556 prefer a female physician 51%

1490 males prefer a male physician 61%

1708 females prefer a female physician 69%

Type of Physician

712 see an internist

2,453 see a family practitioner

1,046 see a gynecologist

470 internists are male and 242 are female

1,222 family practitioners are male and 1,231 are female

392 gynecologists are male and 654 are female

Examination Duration

Average physical examination duration is 12.11 minutes

Average male physical examination duration is 12.11 minutes

Average female physical examination duration is 12.12 minutes

Average gynecological examination duration is 12.18 minutes

Male physicians spend on average 12.11 minutes conducting a physical exam with their patients

Female physicians spend on average 12.12 minutes conducting a physical exam with their patients

internists spend 12.14 minutes

family practitioners spend 12.12 minutes

gynecologists spend 12.18 minutes

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quality and Thoroughness Results

Male Explanation:

In order to be considered to be thorough, the following must be examined: HEENT (head, ears eyes, nose, throat), cardiovascular (heart and arteries), pulmonary (lungs), abdominal (auscultation and palpation), genitourinary (male genitalia - penis, testicles, hernia, prostate exam after age 40) musculoskeletal, and neurological. A 7/7 is considered to be complete.

372 out of 2,462 got an 7/7

Female Explanation - (Non Gyno)

In order to be considered to be thorough, the following must be examined:HEENT (head, ears eyes, nose, throat), cardiovascular (heart and arteries), pulmonary (lungs), breasts, abdominal (auscultation and palpation), genitourinary (female genitalia) musculoskeletal, and neurological. An 8/8 is considered to be thorough.

52 out of 2,462 got an 8/8

Gender specific quality and thoroughness results

Males

In order to be considered thorough, the following must be examined; genitalia - check for hernia, penis ( palpate shaft, palpate glans, spread meatus), testicle palpation, rectal (prostate exam for men age 40 and above). 6/6 for men under 40 and 7/7 for men over 40 is considered to be thorough.

Males - Under 40 Exam

26% of physicians got an 6/6. 70 were internists, and 271 were family practitioners

70 internists - 43 were male and 22 were female

271 family - 123 were male and 148 were female

Males - 40+ Exam

38% got a 7/7. 119 were internists and 222 were family practitioners

119 internists - 86 were male and 33 were female

222 family - 142 were male and 80 were female

Female

In order to be considered thorough, the following must be examined; breasts, abdomen, (genitalia - check for hernia, palpate pubic area, palpate clitoris, spread labia majora and minora, insert finger into vagina, insert speculum to examine cervix and uterus, perform bimanual exam to examine ovaries, perform recto-vaginal exam, and perform rectal exam). 17/17 for non-gyno exam and 11/11 gyno exam is considered to be thorough.

Female - Non Gyno

5 got a 17/17 4 were female family practitioners and the other was a male internist

6% got an 11/17

Female - Gyno

56 physicians got an 11/11

36 gynecologists - 4 male and 32 female

20 family - 7 male and 13 female

Overall Quality and Thoroughness Results

805 physicians (18%) were considered to be thorough in their exams

421 were male and 384 were females

female physicians were more thorough examining the female genitalia than the males were. female physicians were more thorough when examining males under 40 than the males were.