[Family doctor: acrobat or drugstore clerk?]

In four cases there existed a discrepancy between the patient's request and the views of the GP who went by the guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners. The requests concerned were those of a woman aged 56 who wanted a serum cholesterol determination and a youth aged 17 with a sprained ankle who asked for an X-ray--they were not satisfied until their wishes had been fulfilled--and those of a man aged 43 with recurrent low back pain who wanted to be referred to physical therapy and a woman aged 39 with a common cold who wanted a prescription for an antibiotic--they were only satisfied after a favourable development. The general practitioner has to choose whether to fulfill the patient's wishes or try to explain that the advice--based on medical evidence--is preferable. Good patient information is necessary for a better understanding of each other's points of view and, moreover, gives the doctor more satisfaction in his or her work.