Loading...
Personal protective equipment requirements for healthcare professionals during the pandemic created the opportunity to assess the difference between clear and standard opaque masks on physician–patient communication. U.S. researchers enrolled 200 adult patients who were seeing 1 of 15 surgeons for the first time: During surgeon–patient encounters, surgeons were randomized to wear either commercially available clear masks or standard surgical masks. Clear masks had the same air handling properties and certification as standard surgical masks. Patients at high risk for coronavirus transmission who required N95 masking were excluded.
Patients seeing surgeons who wore clear masks, compared with patients seeing surgeons who wore standard masks, were more likely to agree that the surgeon explained things clearly (95% vs. 78%), displayed empathy (99% vs. 85%), and generated trust (94% vs. 72%).
Kratzke IM et al. Effect of clear vs standard covered masks on communication with patients during surgical clinic encounters: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Surg 2021 Mar 11; [e-pub]. (https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2021.0836)
Comment
Most use of clear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has been focused on deaf or hard-of-hearing patients who need to read lips for communication. These results suggest that clear masks might have benefits in a broad range of clinical encounters. Presumably, the ability to see a full face, including all of a physician's nonverbal cues (especially a smile), leads to a warmer and more supportive encounter.