Finset A. Int J Int Care. 2010; 10: 53-56. FREE
Patients sometimes report that doctors regard them as a set of symptoms rather than a person. An alternative approach is to communicate with patients on a personal level, with an emphasis on eliciting the patient’s perspective. This research paper focuses on key concepts related to provider-patient communication, such as person-centered, patient centered, and relationship-centered communication. These approaches represent a shift of focus from symptom to person, and from disease to illness.