Gregory House (from the FOX program “House”) is America’s most loved and most hated TV doctor and the medical professional most would want as their own doctor, according to a survey conducted by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The survey found that many people responded positively to Dr. House’s medical capabilities, while at the same time, many respondents didn’t like him because of his gruff bedside manner and poor communication skills.

Ironically, the results of the survey suggest the qualities people value most in a physician are bedside manner or communication skills (95 percent) and board certification (93 percent).

The survey data reinforce a commentary published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that calls for greater emphasis on “emotional intelligence” in the training of doctors. The authors, from Stanford University, contend that emotional sensitivity and increased communications and interpersonal skills can improve healthcare outcomes for patients.

“If Dr. House were a real board-certified physician, he would be required to participate in lifelong learning through the ABMS Maintenance of Certification program, which includes ongoing assessment of a doctor’s communications skills,” said Kevin B. Weiss, MD, president and CEO of ABMS. According to Dr. Weiss, ABMS also is currently exploring tools to help assess physicians by surveying their patients’ experiences.

Other findings from the survey:

• From a list of 13 fictional television doctors, Gregory House is the one most respondents (20 percent) would like to have as their doctor. Following closely behind are Marcus Welby (“Marcus Welby, M.D.,” 13 percent), Hawkeye Pierce (“M*A*S*H,” 11 percent) and John Carter (“ER,” 10 percent). Other TV docs mentioned in the survey, each of whom got less than 10 percent of the vote, were Cliff Huxtable (“The Cosby Show”); Miranda Bailey (“Grey’s Anatomy”); Derek Shepherd (“Grey’s Anatomy”); Michaela “Mike” Quinn (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”); Doogie Howser (“Doogie Howser, M.D.”); Jack Shephard (“Lost”); James Kildare (“Dr. Kildare”); and Frasier Crane (“Frasier”).
• The physicians who respondents said they would least like to have as a doctor are Doogie Howser (“Doogie Howser, M.D.;” 17 percent); Gregory House (11 percent) and Frasier Crane (“Frasier;” 11 percent). Overall, the main reasons why these doctors would not be chosen by respondents were for personal qualities (31 percent) or professional reasons (29 percent.) Seven percent do not know why they wouldn’t choose them as their doctor.
• While the vast majority of respondents said board certification is important to them, most didn’t understand what board certification entails. Sixty percent incorrectly believed that a doctor has to be board certified to practice medicine and only 45 percent of survey respondents had ever checked to see if their doctor is board certified.

“One of the problems may be that more than half of respondents say it is difficult to find useful, clear information on doctors,” said Dr. Weiss.