[Assertive medicine: a proposal against defensive medicine]

More than ever the physician-patient relationship is deteriorated by diverse factors, among these liability complaints stand out, and have propitiated the practice of defensive medicine, an attitude considered in many countries as inappropriate, expensive and unethical. Defensive medicine widens the distance between a physician and his patient. To revert this vice and its noxious effects which corrupt the patient-physician relationship in our country, we propose that physicians put to practice actions which permit the renewal of the essence of humanistic medicine in their daily practice and the restoration of the relationship. These changes in attitude sum up to a proposition of professional practice which we have denominated assertive medicine. This offer is resumed in four points: 1) Maintain a proper verbal and non verbal communication with each patient, 2) Keep continuously up to date skills, knowledge and abilities, 3) Respect the patient's rights and 4) Defend their own rights as physicians.