A recent article in the Boston Globe (Doctors debate safety of their white coats) talked about how doctors had realised that their traditional white coats were 'germ magnets,' and how they were now discarding them in favour of less formal attire. Setting aside the rather obvious question of why a dirty white lab coat would be any more rancid than a dirty shirt - a point also sidestepped in the article - the Globe went on to suggest that the good natured debate that had ensued 'touched on shifting perceptions of the physician’s role.' On the one hand, the white lab coat is a symbol of trust. There are studies that show powerful placebo effects of people wearing white lab coats (see … [Read more...] about Perception is everything
Is there such a thing as a payment placebo?
A quick question, to which I'm sure there is probably an easy answer: I've heard it said many times in recent years that physiotherapists in private practice should be confident enough to charge what they think they are worth, and that people only truly value something if they have to pay for it. If which case, isn't this just another form of placebo where people gain additional benefit because they've paid more? And isn't that at odds with the idea of evidence-informed practice? … [Read more...] about Is there such a thing as a payment placebo?