Paper Summary:

This paper focuses on the doctor/patient communication. It speaks of the ideas of the past in relation to this issue and how they have affected modern day medicine. The writer discusses the problems that exist when patients attempt communication with doctors, as well as problems that physicians face when addressing patients' concerns. The writer further offers suggestions for improvement and professional advice for resolving issues.

From the Paper:

"Traditionally patients have been accustomed to trusting in the services of doctors, and in accepting only the information given during a consultation. In years past, (especially in the days of the town doctor who made house calls) doctors often provided patients with only the details that the doctor felt the patient needed to know. Specifics of illnesses (mostly terminal cases) were only verbally provided when the doctor decided that it was appropriate to do so. Although patients generally knew that this occurred, it appeared to be acceptable to the general population for many years. This is not to insist that patients demanded medical information. Many patients believed that to query a physician was to disrespect his or her profession. More often than not this resulted in patients needlessly suffering with illnesses that might have been detected if the lines of communication between doctors and patients had been more open."

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