Balint Group seminars were developed by Michael and Enid Balint based on the application of psychological principles in a group setting for the purpose of developing an improved understanding of the doctor-patient relationship. This article focuses on the development and application of the Balint method to the training of resident physicians (particularly Family Physicians) within the United States. An effort is made to describe the practicalities of resident physician Balint training (e.g., size, frequency, duration of such groups), conceptual underpinnings (e.g., biphasic nature of patient identification, disease versus illness concept, transference/counter-transference, over-identification, under-identification, biphasic nature of physician empathy), and pedagogic goals (mastering empathic skills inherent in being a good doctor) of residency-based Balint groups. In aggregate, this article provides a useful framework for behavioral science educators interested in applying the Balint seminar method to resident physician training. The authors encourage both the continued study and educational application of the Balint seminar method in the training of physicians both within and outside of the United States.
The Fistula First Breakthrough Initiative (FFBI) has improved the awareness of the value of fistula creation in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The FFBI Health Policy Workgroup has been charged with reviewing the relationship of policy and economic issues to this project. This article reviews the efforts and successes of renal community clinical activities and reemphasizes the economic impact of fistula creation and catheter reduction on the health care system. Major obstacles are discussed, and existing tools and efforts designed to address them are outlined. The FFBI Health Policy Workgroup then identifies less frequently recognized barriers to the achievement of the FFBI goals and suggests solutions to them. It concludes that nephrologists need to assume the leadership role and drive fistula creation and central venous catheter reduction to achieve programmatic success.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.