Physical Examination and the Physician-patient Relationship: A Literature Review

Abstract

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. BackgroundPhysical examinations in clinical settings are becoming relatively infrequent due to recent advances in diagnostic tests. However, for many physicians and patients, physical examinations remain a vital part of consultations. In addition, as a proportion of physicians consider these examinations to improve doctor-patient communication, they remain an important part of training for medical students.MethodsWe reviewed literature from medical and social sciences regarding the influence of physical examination on the doctor-patient relationship. Searching of 3 databases and 5 journals identified 1,447 studies, of which 57 are included in this review.ResultsAlthough historical studies have suggested that technological advancement increases the psychological and physical distance between doctors and patients, ethnographic studies have demonstrated a continued and close relationship between the two. A number of medical reports noted that close proximity during physical examination, particularly touch, strengthens doctor-patient relationships, reduces patient anxiety, and can have a healing effect on patients. In contrast, social scientific studies focused on patients, who considered this proximity invasive.ConclusionsIncreased collaboration between medical and social sciences, analysis of patient experiences, and research in non-Western countries might help characterize the benefits, or lack thereof, of physical examinations.