INTEREST IN THE RELATIONSHIP BEtween physicians and patients is as old as the practice of medicine. Over the past 20 years, scholarly interest has increased as educators and practicing professionals have realized that a therapeutic relationship, along with integration of knowledge and skills, content of care, information management, teamwork, and health systems is an integral part of healing an...

I recently observed a third-year medicine resident interview a 77-year-old established clinic patient with diabetes, hypertension, and mild degenerative joint disease, all well controlled. For the first 19 minutes, of a visit scheduled for 20, the patient focused on reconfirming that her symptoms, unchanged for months, were related to her diagnoses. She also talked animatedly about her granddau...