Patient expectations have become an increasingly influential factor in prescribing decisions, particularly in busy outpatient and primary care settings. Patients often arrive with predefined expectations for medications—such as antibiotics, analgesics, or vitamins—shaped by prior experiences, peer advice, or digital health information. This can create subtle pressure on clinicians to align prescriptions with expectations, even when clinical indications may not justify it.
This phenomenon is especially prominent in conditions with self-limiting or subjective symptoms, such as upper respiratory tract infections or nonspecific pain. Evidence indicates that when physicians perceive an expectation for medication, they are more likely to prescribe, sometimes irrespective of clinical necessity. Such practices can contribute to larger systemic issues, including antimicrobial resistance,…
