Reading B2 Bedside Manner: Rapport Psychiatry Family Medicine Pathology Radiology
Reading B2 Bedside Manner: Rapport Psychiatry Family Medicine Pathology Radiology
Bedside manner
A good bedside manner is typically one that reassures and comforts the patient while remaining honest
about a diagnosis. Vocal tones, body language, openness, presence, and concealment of attitude may all
affect bedside manner. Poor bedside manner leaves the patient feeling unsatisfied, worried, frightened, or
alone. Bedside manner becomes difficult when a healthcare professional must explain an unfavorable
diagnosis to the patient, while keeping the patient from being alarmed.
An example of how body language affects patient perception of care is that the time spent with the patient in
the emergency department is perceived as longer if the doctor sits down during the encounter.
Issues
The following issues may complicate or negatively affect the doctor-patient relationship if not taken properly
into consideration.
Physician superiority
The physician may be viewed as superior to the patient, because the physician has the knowledge and
credentials, and is most often the one that is on home ground.
The physician-patient relationship is also complicated by the patient's suffering (patient derives from the
Latin patior, "suffer") and limited ability to relieve it on his/her own, potentially resulting in a state of
desperation and dependency on the physician.
A physician should at least be aware of these disparities in order to establish rapport and optimize
communication with the patient. It may be further beneficial for the doctor-patient relationship to have a form
of shared care with patient empowerment to take a major degree of responsibility for her or his care.
Benefiting or pleasing
A dilemma may arise in situations where determining the most efficient treatment, or encountering
avoidance of treatment, creates a disagreement between the physician and the patient, for any number of
reasons. In such cases, the physician needs strategies for presenting unfavorable treatment options or
unwelcome information in such a way that minimizes strain on the doctor-patient relationship while
benefiting the patient's overall physical health and best interests.
Formal or casual
There may be differences in opinion between the doctor and patient in how formal or casual the doctorpatient relationship should be.
For instance, according to a Scottish study, patients want to be addressed by their first name more often
than is currently the case. In this study, most of the patients either liked (223) or did not mind (175) being
called by their first names. Only 77 disliked it, most of whom were aged over 65. On the other hand, most
patients don't want to call the doctor by his or her first name.
Some familiarity with the doctor generally makes it easier for patients to talk about intimate issues such as
sexual subjects, but for some patients, a very high degree of familiarity may make the patient reluctant to
reveal such intimate issues.
Reading comprehension
True or false?
1. The physician may be viewed as superior to the patient, because the physician has the knowledge and
credentials, and is most often the one that is on home ground.
2. A patient must have confidence in the competence of their physician and must feel that they can confide
in him or her.
3. There may not be differences in opinion between the doctor and patient in how formal or casual the
doctor-patient relationship should be.
4. According to a Scottish study, patients dont want to be addressed by their first name.