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Views & Reviews Medical Classics

Hipocondrie á 7 Concertanti

BMJ 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d7672 (Published 30 November 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;343:d7672
  1. Desmond O’Neill, consultant physician in geriatric and stroke medicine, Dublin
  1. doneill{at}tcd.ie

Fans of the US detective series Columbo (and of its recently deceased star, Peter Falk) will recognise the scenario immediately. The interview seems to be over without a satisfactory resolution, when, with his hand on the door handle, he turns and says, “Just one more thing . . .” As in medicine, it is this last question that is the key to the story, and astute doctors have learnt to temper natural impatience at late running consultations and to pay particular attention to the “doorknob question” (see Int J Clin Pract 2005;59:869, doi:10.1111/j.1368-5031.2005.0599a.x).

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