Docs often disclose personal info to patients

NEW YORK, July 4 (Reuters) Physicians frequently disclose information about themselves to patients, new research shows, and contrary to what some researchers believe, this does not enhance the doctor-patient relationship and may actually be disruptive.

The findings are based on a study of 113 unannounced visits to primary care doctors by actors posing as patients. Physician self-disclosures included any discussions involving personal experiences as well as statements about their practices, including interactions with colleagues or other patients.

Overall, 73 of these types of disclosures were noted during 38 (34 per cent) of the visits, Dr Susan H McDaniel, from the University of Rochester in New York, and colleagues report.

Most of the doctor disclosures followed statements by the patient regarding symptoms, family, or feelings, but 29 were unrelated.

Only 10 of the doctor disclosures resulted from the patient directly asking the physician for personal information. Moreover, just 29 of the doctor disclosures returned to the topic that initiated the self-disclosure.

The research team rated most of these disclosures by the doctors as not being helpful to the patient. Eleven of the disclosures were considered to be disruptive to the doctor-patient relationship.

REUTERS RSA MIR KKP0857