More on “Bed-Side Manner”

In February 2005,
DB’s Medical Rants brought up a discussion of bed-side manner related to a news item about a woman whose physician called and told her that she had a terminal cancer and then hung up the phone. This act, which she considered rude, led, after her death, to her donation of a trust fund of two million dollars given to a local medical school to teach the students better “bed-side manner”. The issue of whether or how bed-side manner can be taught is discussed in the comments section of the blog.

In March 2005, I discussed here the suggestion in the literature that method acting be used to enhance the appearance of empathy in the doctor-patient relationship.

There is no doubt that problems in doctor-patient relationships are not rare. However, there is great doubt, at least in my mind, that theatrical acting on the part of the physician will improve the problems. ..Maurice.