The Doctor-Patient Relationship in General Practice: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

For several reasons, discussed here, the general practitioner is particularly suited to carry out effective brief psychotherapy within the framework of his surgery hours. Examples are given to demonstrate the possibility of diagnosis and treatment of pathogenic and unconscious mental factors in normal fifteen-minute office visits. The general practitioner could benefit from a broadening and deepening of his efficiency in dealing with emotional factors through training in psychological diagnosis and doctor-patient therapy. Such training, if incorporated into the general medical curriculum, would provide a sounder and more scientific basis for the treatment of psychosomatic and psychoneurotic problems.