Chaperone use by obstetrician gynecologists

OBJECTIVE: To describe current practices of chaperone use during pelvic exa minations among obstetrician/ gynecologists affiliated with a large tertiar y cave teaching hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Questionnaires were distributed at department of obstetrics a nd gynecology grand rounds to all practicing attending physicians to obtain physician demographic data, including age, years in practice, practice typ e (solo or group) and whether chaperones were currently used when performin g pelvic examinations at the first obstetric or gynecologic office visit. P hysicians were also asked whether they were taught to use chaperones for pe lvic examinations during medical school or residency. RESULTS: Of the 59 attending physicians, 100% responded to the questionnair e. As compared to female physicians, male physicians used chaperones more a t the first obstetric examination (76.9% vs. 27.8%, P<.002), at gynecologic office visits (70.0% vs. 22.2%, P <.002) and for breast examinations (51.2 % vs. 11.1%, P<.01). Physicians greater than 40 years old, in practice long er than 10 years and taught as medical students or residents to use chapero nes were statistically more likely to use chaperones. No attendings, male o r female, reported losing a patient to another provider or being sued or th reatened with legal action because of not using a chaperone. CONCLUSION: Chaperones were used more frequently during pelvic examinations by male physicians, age greater than 40, solo practice, and physicians in practice longer than 10 years. Education affected current practices as spec ific medical student or residency training influenced the use of chaperones in private practice.