Physician Use of Stigmatizing Language in Patient Medical Records

Key Points Question What types of stigmatizing language are written by physicians about patients in their medical records? Findings This qualitative study of 600 encounter notes from 138 physicians found 6 ways that physicians express positive feelings toward patients in medical records, including compliments, approval, and personalization. This study also found 5 ways that physicians express negative feelings toward patients, including disapproval, discrediting, and stereotyping. Meaning These findings suggest that physicians should increase their awareness of stigmatizing language in patient records to ensure that their notes are informative and respectful.