People appear to judge a good doctor based on old-fashioned bedside manner rather than technical knowledge and skills, according to a new study by Ohio State University, which is published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers found that patients at two large U.S. medical centers agreed on a number of qualities that define an "ideal" doctor ─ including honesty, compassion and respectfulness. In describing their worst experiences with a doctor, patients often cited providers' arrogance, dismissive attitude and "callousness" in discussing their condition. Technical expertise, on the other hand, was rarely mentioned in patients' assessment. The findings point to the importance of doctors learning and cultivating interpersonal skills, as well as technical ones.
根據美國俄亥俄州立大學發表在《梅奧臨床記錄》的一項新研究，民眾似乎仍以舊式醫師的臨床態度，而不是專業知識與技術來評鑑好醫師。研究人員發現，美國兩大醫療中心的病患贊同以包括誠實、慈悲與尊重的諸多特質，來界定「理想的」醫師。病患時常引述醫師在討論病情時傲慢、輕視的態度以及「麻木不仁」來描述他們最糟糕的看病經驗。另一方面，在病患的評估中，專業知識反而很少被提及。從這些發現指出，醫師的學識以及培養人際關係與專業技巧的重要性。
"A physician who pays personal attention to the patient, who is respectful, compassionate and competent, that's what every patient wants," editorialist Dr. James T. C. Li of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Minnesota, said. Dr. Li has helped develop new programs at the Mayo Clinic to teach doctors how to better communicate with their patients.
美國明尼蘇達州梅奧臨床醫學院的社論撰稿者詹姆斯．李博士表示：「對病患集中個人的注意力，懂得尊重、慈悲，以及適任的醫師是每個病患需要的。」李博士協助在梅奧診所開發新課程，教導醫師如何改善與病患的溝通。
The ideals that study participants cited can be taught to doctors in a number of ways, such as by having medical residents watch skilled senior doctors interact with patients. Many medical schools and medical centers have developed programs on doctor-patient communication, but more needs to be done. "Can health care really ever be high quality if patient-physician interaction is hurried, disrespectful, cold, callous, and uncaring" Dr. Li writes in the editorial.
參與研究者引述的理想典範可透過一些方式傳授給醫師，例如讓住院醫師觀看熟練的資深醫師與病人互動。許多醫學院與醫療中心已開發醫師與病人的溝通課程，但需要做的還很多。李博士在社論中寫道：「假如病患與醫師的互動倉促、不尊重、冷漠、麻木不仁以及不在乎，如此這般，能有高品質的醫療保健嗎？」
Overall, patients most appreciated the quality of "thoroughness" ─ for example, a surgeon who fully explains the procedure, then continues to follow-up with the patient during recovery. Patients also said they wanted doctors who were confident, respectful, straightforward, empathetic, compassionate and interested in them as individuals.
總括而言，病患最感激「周全」的醫療品質，例如外科醫師詳盡解說整個過程，然後在病人的復原期間持續追蹤病情。病患也表示，他們希望醫師能有自信、懂得尊重、坦率、有同理心、慈悲，以及把他們當個體關懷備至。