Physician and Patient relationship strained due to non-verbal communications

Actions speak hundred words, these non-verbal communications is also found in between patient and doctor relationship which as also been a major cause of distress and may lead to improper treatment. Professor Richard Frankel, Indiana University School of Medicine along with his colleagues from Indianapolis VA Medical Center and Johns Hopkins and Fetzer Institute as reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine that nonverbal postures and behavior exist between physician and patient which is an important cause of a strained doctor and patient relationship.

The researchers have found that during doctor visits some patients show signs of distress by looking at the floor instead of the doctor or avoid looking at the doctor and in some cases physicians show distress by avoiding looking at the patient, continuously talking on his mobile phone or frequently looks at his wrist watch and all these actions are clear signs of humiliation and anxiety. Researchers have found that these unnecessary signs of distress which strain the relationship between doctor and patient.