Empathy: improving the quality of the genitourinary medicine consultation.
The interaction between patient and practitioner remains core to the provision of medical care. Physicians who display a warm, friendly and reassuring manner during their consultations are reported to be more effective in their delivery of care, with empathy, in particular, emerging as a key factor. This paper examines the concept of empathy and discusses how this may be achieved, with particular emphasis on the genitourinary medicine consultation.
Sonnex
Chris
C
Department of GU Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK. christopher.sonnex@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends*; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000592:standards*