AaosNews6-1-04

Communication Skills Mentoring Program

Communication Skills in the News

Source: AAOS Headline News

Date: June 1, 2004

 

Physician-patient communication still a problem

 

The New York Times reports today that things haven't changed much since an 1984 study showed that physicians give patients less than 20 seconds to describe their problems. That study showed that physicians interrupted patients 18 seconds into the patient's explanation of the problem. A follow-up study in 1999 indicated that physicians waited just 23 seconds before interrupting patients. The article points out that only 15 percent of patients fully understand what their doctors tell them, and 50 percent leave the office still uncertain of what they are supposed to do.

For more information: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/01/health/policy/01pati.html
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