Birth, death, and resurrection of the physical examination: clinical and academic perspectives on bedside diagnosis.

The physical examination has a historically prominent role in medical practice, being an important tool in diagnosis and in developing rapport with patients. Yet, physicians have lost bedside skills in recent years, with increasing use of technology at the expense of time spent with the patient. This is concerning, especially in the present era of cost-containment in health care. Approaches to improve bedside diagnosis skills include increased emphasis on instruction in physical examination during medical school and postgraduate training, and careful scrutiny of physical examination techniques, with formal evaluation of their accuracy and reproducibility. Only through education and research will the physical examination recover its central role in the clinical encounter.