For those interested in physician-patient communication (and the need for improvement), Remapping Debate has a must-read discussion, "How hard is it for doctors to listen and to care?," of the issue. The article highlights the importance of good communication (it's "crucial in terms of patient adherence to treatment plans, patient satisfaction with their care experience, and whether they come back,” according to one expert) and the obstacles to change (“now we’re pushed and pushed to see more patients, in less time, and we haven’t thought about the consequences of that,” Stanford’s Lars Osterberg, MD, says). And it also, on a hopeful note, outlines the various programs that Stanford and other medical schools have implemented to ensure medical students are adquately equipped to care for and communicate with future patients.
Previously: Examining the unspoken clues exchanged between patients and doctors, Improving communication between doctors and patients and Working to improve patient-doctor communication
