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The patient-physician interactions as seen by undergraduate medical students
L Y Kiyohara1, L K Kayano, M L Kobayashi
1Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Context:
The interaction between a physician and his or her patient is complex and occurs by means of technical performance and through a personal relationship.
Objective:
To assess the interaction between the medical professional and his or her patient with the participation of medical students assuming a role as observers and participants in a medical appointment in an outpatient office.
Design:
Questionnaire interview study.
Setting:
General Medicine outpatient offices, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.
Participants:
Medical students performed an ethnographical technique of observation, following 199 outpatient medical appointments with Clinical Medicine Residents.
Main Measurements:
A questionnaire filled out by observer students measured the physician's attitudes towards patients, as well as patients' expectations regarding the appointment and his or her understanding after its completion.
Results:
Patients showed higher enthusiasm after the appointment (4.47 +/- 0.06 versus 2.62 +/- 0.10) (mean +/- SEM), as well as some negative remarks such as in relation to the waiting time. The time spent in the consultation was 24.66 +/- 4.45 minutes (mean +/- SEM) and the waiting time was 123.09 +/- 4.91 minutes. The physician's written orientation was fairly well recalled by the patient when the doctor's letter could be previously understood.
Conclusion:
Patients benefit from physicians who keep the focus on them. In addition, this program stimulated the students for their accomplishment of the medical course.