The art of medicine: seminars for practicing physicians

Using a needs assessment based on a consumer opinion study, a series of seminars on "The Art of Medicine" was set up for medical staff in a large health maintenance organization. Taught by fifteen staff physicians who underwent a facilitator training program, the seminars focused on physician-patient relationships, with participants encouraged to reflect on successful interactions, particularly focusing on their own behavior. A syllabus included eleven observations for successful medical encounters, literature abstracts, and sample case studies. Qualitative evaluation indicated a positive response to the seminars, and further offerings on similar topics are planned.