Eighty-six percent of physicians have witnessed other physicians bully or harass clinicians or staff in the last five years, according to Medscape's 2022 report "Physicians Behaving Badly."
Medscape surveyed more than 1,500 physicians about physician misbehavior and what they have experienced in recent years.
Here is the bad behavior witnessed by physicians in the workplace, according to the survey:
Bullying or harassing clinicians/staff
Witnessed in the past five years: 86 percent
Witnessed more recently: 30 percent
Making fun of patients unbeknownst to patients
Witnessed in the past five years: 82 percent
Witnessed more recently: 30 percent
Using racist language
Witnessed in the past five years: 55 percent
Witnessed more recently: 9 percent
Bullying or harassing patients
Witnessed in the past five years: 45 percent
Witnessed more recently: 5 percent
Becoming physically aggressive with patients, clinicians or staff
Witnessed in the past five years: 44 percent
Witnessed more recently: 6 percent
Being inebriated
Witnessed in the past five years: 43 percent
Witnessed more recently: 4 percent
Lying about credentials
Witnessed in the past five years: 34 percent
Witnessed more recently: 3 percent
Trying to date a patient
Witnessed in the past five years: 30 percent
Witnessed more recently: 2 percent
Committing a crime
Witnessed in the past five years: 27 percent
Witnessed more recently: 2 percent