title: The third party in general practice consultations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the impact of outside agents in doctor-patient consultations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth group discussions with psychoanalytically oriented leadership.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Balint group which met weekly for two years.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 senior general practitioners with an interest in teaching.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outside agents are almost invariably present in general practice consultations. The "third party" in the consultation fitted four separate categories according to its helpful or disturbing, real or projected characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dyadic nature of general practice consultations is illusory. The third party is an inherent component of the consultation and may be used consciously to gain extra insight into the needs of patients and their doctors.
authors.affiliation: Geha Psychiatric Hospital, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Granek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weingarten
mesh_terms: D003253:Consultants; D003379:Countertransference; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D014167:Transference, Psychology