What Are the Biggest Drivers of Dissatisfaction in Dermatology? With Michelle Nguyen, MD, MBA, MPH

In a second interview segment recorded at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in Denver, Michelle Bichchau Nguyen, MD, MBA, MPH, associate professor of dermatology at Tufts University School of Medicine and director of Mohs Micrographic Surgery, spoke with HCPLive about her practical guidance on the most common drivers of patient dissatisfaction in dermatology.

Specifically, Nguyen went into what early-career clinicians can do in order to build more meaningful, lasting connections with their patients. When asked to identify the single biggest driver of dissatisfaction in dermatology practices, Nguyen pointed directly to the challenge of high patient volume and the toll it can take on the quality of each of these encounters.

“[Just] the fact that you're sitting down and having a conversation instantly make patients feel like…it's worth it to wait three months to see you and paying the co-pays and all of that,” Nguyen expressed.

In a specialty where clinicians are routinely required to interact with large numbers of patients in relatively short windows of time, Nguyen pointed out, it becomes can be all the more critical to be intentional about making each these individuals feel heard and valued. Nguyen also described the physical act of sitting during a patient conversation, rather than standing at the door or typing at a workstation, as immediately making the clinician appear present and engaged.

Additionally, Nguyen reframed the time investment in rapport-building as a long-term strategic asset, as opposed to only a courtesy. Concerns left unaddressed in a single visit, she explained, tend to compound over time. This can make future encounters more difficult and the therapeutic relationship more fragile. Dermatology clinicians who invest upfront in building trust, she expressed, ultimately benefit from greater patient loyalty.

Turning to advice for early-career dermatologists specifically, Nguyen further highlighted an important dimension to her earlier guidance on listening: do not take negative feedback personally. Nguyen noted critical patient reviews can sting for clinicians, especially those who are newer. Rather than internalizing those situations as reflections of their worth as clinicians, Nguyen encouraged residents and junior physicians to mine each piece of criticism for a kernel of actionable truth.

Nguyen had no relevant financial disclosures of note.

References

1. Nguyen M. Ways to Improve Patient Experience with Surgery in Dermatology, With Michelle Nguyen, MD, MBA, MPH. HCPLive. March 27, 2026. https://www.hcplive.com/view/ways-improve-patient-experience-surgery-dermatology-michelle-nguyen-md-mba-mph.

2. Gahona M, Prada SA, Chaparro D. Patient satisfaction as a quality indicator in dermatological care: cross-sectional study in two tertiary institutions with residency programs. An Bras Dermatol. 2025 Nov-Dec;100(6):501228. doi: 10.1016/j.abd.2025.501228. Epub 2025 Nov 3. PMID: 41187473; PMCID: PMC12634491.