Abstract
Background
Effective communication is essential in healthcare and influences patient outcomes and care quality. While physician-related behaviors toward other healthcare professionals have been widely studied, less is known about interactions with external stakeholders such as medical representatives (MRs). This study aimed to describe problematic or unprofessional physician-related behaviors and related communication barriers experienced by MRs in Japan.Methods
A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among MRs registered with Doctor's Prime Academia, an online platform for healthcare professionals and industry employees. The survey collected demographic and professional characteristics and assessed experiences of physician-related behaviors, including problematic communication, sexual harassment, and prolonged waiting before meetings. Group comparisons were performed using non-parametric and exact tests. Because of the exploratory nature of the study and the limited sample size, multivariable analyses were not performed.Results
A total of 98 MRs participated (median age 40 years [interquartile range 33-46]; 15.3% female). Overall, 88.8% reported experiencing some form of physician-related problematic or unprofessional behavior, with refusal to respond to work-related matters being the most common (58.6%). Sexual harassment was reported by 14.3% of MRs and was more frequently reported by younger MRs and women. Prolonged waiting (more than one hour) was reported by 38.8% of MRs and was more frequently reported by younger and less experienced MRs, as well as those with higher educational backgrounds.Conclusion
Physician-related problematic or unprofessional behaviors and related communication barriers toward MRs were commonly reported in this study. Younger and female MRs more frequently reported experiences of sexual harassment, whereas younger and less experienced MRs more frequently reported prolonged waiting. Given the exploratory nature of this study, these findings should be interpreted with caution; however, they highlight the importance of addressing physician interactions with external stakeholders as part of broader efforts to promote professionalism in healthcare.