Clinical Review

The gap between doctors' and patients' perceptions

BMJ 2004; 329 doi: 10.1136/bmj.329.7464.502 (Published 26 August 2004)
Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:502.1

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  1. Kieran Walsh, editorial registrar (kmwalsh@bmjgroup.com)1
  1. 1 BMJ Learning, BMA House, London WC1H 9JR

    During her husband's consultation Mrs Prior mentioned three symptoms of her own: itching, cystitis, and a rash.1 She mentioned them as a “by the way,” and her general practitioner saw her and did some blood tests. Would you be so patient? Or would you ask her to come back? There is no right answer to this question but, reading between the lines, perhaps the primary purpose of the consultation was to discuss her problems. Respondents …

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