Better “Bedside Manner” Affects Patients’ Health.
A review of 13 clinical trials has found that doctors who have been given training to improve their people skills have patients who respond more favorably in efforts to lose weight, lower their blood pressure, or manage their pain. Dr. Alan Christensen, a professor of psychology at the University of Iowa, adds, “It’s important to be able to demonstrate that clinicians can learn to change how they interact with patients, and that it affects health outcomes.”
PLOS ONE, April 2014