Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Managing the difficult physician-patient relationship.

T L Schwenk¹, S E Romano

¹Department of Family Practice, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.

American Family Physician

|November 1, 1992

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Alcohol use in adolescents: the scope of the problem and strategies for intervention.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2010

Same author

Rejuvenating patients-one step at a time.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2010

Same author

Psychoactive drugs and athletic performance.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2010

Same author

Screening for depression in primary care.

JAMA·2000

Same author

Model of family medicine and obstetrics-gynecology collaboration in obstetric care at the University of Michigan.

Obstetrics and gynecology·2000

Same author

Physical activity and mental health: current concepts.

Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)·2000

Same journal

For Post-stent Patients With Atherosclerotic Coronary Vascular Disease Who Are Taking an Anticoagulant, Adding Aspirin Worsens Outcomes.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Diagnosis and Management.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Aerobic Exercise Is the Better Exercise Modality for Knee Osteoarthritis.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Overscreening Leads to Overdiagnosis of MASLD.

American family physician·2026

Same journal

Type 2 Diabetes: Outpatient Insulin Management.

American family physician·2026

See all related articles

Difficult physician-patient relationships stem from communication breakdowns, leading to poor medical care. Effective management strategies can improve these challenging dynamics for both parties.

Area of Science:

Medical Communication
Patient-Physician Dynamics
Healthcare Management

Background:

Difficult physician-patient relationships negatively impact care quality and cost.
These relationships often arise from communication failures.
Contributing factors include technical barriers, sensitive topics, unmet expectations, and personality mismatches.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the causes and consequences of difficult physician-patient relationships.
To outline management goals for improving these interactions.
To emphasize the importance of effective communication strategies.

Main Methods:

Qualitative analysis of factors contributing to relationship difficulties.
Review of management strategies for challenging physician-patient dynamics.

Related Experiment Videos

Exploration of communication barriers and their impact.

Main Results:

Breakdowns in communication are a primary cause of difficult relationships.
Consequences include frustration, dissatisfaction, adversarial care, and increased costs.
Successful management involves maintaining professional self-esteem and continuity of care.

Conclusions:

Difficult physician-patient relationships, though challenging, can be effectively managed.
Strategies should focus on improving communication and addressing underlying issues.
Minimizing medicalization and unnecessary interventions is key to effective management.