The patient-physician interactions as seen by undergraduate medical students.
BACKGROUND
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.


METHODS
Questionnaire interview study.


METHODS
General Medicine outpatient offices, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.


METHODS
Medical students performed an ethnographical technique of observation, following 199 outpatient medical appointments with Clinical Medicine Residents.


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients benefit from physicians who keep the focus on them. In addition, this program stimulated the students for their accomplishment of the medical course.
Kiyohara
L Y
LY
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Kayano
L K
LK
Kobayashi
M L
ML
Alessi
M S
MS
Yamamoto
M U
MU
Yunes-Filho
P R
PR
Pessoa
R R
RR
Mandelbaum
R
R
Okubo
S T
ST
Watanuki
T
T
Vieira
J E
JE
D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards