NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 03 - Physicians frequently disclose information about themselves to patients, new research shows, and contrary to what some researchers believe, this does not enhance the patient-physician relationship and may actually be disruptive.
The findings, which appear in the Archives of Internal Medicine for June 25, are based on a study of 113 unannounced visits to primary care physicians by actors posing as patients. Physician self-disclosures included any discussions involving personal experiences as well as statements about their practices, including interactions with colleagues or other patients.
Overall, 73 physician self-disclosures were noted during 38 (34%) of the visits, lead author Dr. Susan H. McDaniel, from the University of Rochester in New York, and colleagues note.
Most of the physician self-disclosures followed statements by the patient regarding symptoms, family, or feelings, but 29 were unrelated, the findings indicate. Only 10 of the physician self-disclosures resulted from the patient directly asking the physician for personal information. Moreover, "only 29 of the encounters returned to the patient topic preceding the disclosure."
The research team rated 62 of the physician self-disclosures as not being helpful to the patient. Eleven of the disclosures were considered to be disruptive to the patient-physician relationship.
"Primary care physicians may wish to make explicit decisions about any use of self-disclosure and consider using empathy and other ways of demonstrating support and building relationships," the researchers conclude.
Arch Intern Med 2007;167:1321-1326.
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