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Cassell EJ: The nature of suffering and the goals of medicine. N Engl J Med 306:639–645, 1982. This is an eloquent exposition of the need for physicians to understand the totality of patients’ experiences and to communicate empathy. It provides guidelines on a clinical approach based on understanding the patient as person.
Emanuel EJ, Emanuel LL: Four models of the physician-patient relationship. JAMA 267:2221–2226, 1992; May WF: Code, covenant, contract, or philanthropy? Hastings Cent Rep 5:29–38, 1975; Szasz TS, Hollender MH: The basic models of the doctor-patient relationship. Arch Intern Med 97:585–592, 1956. These three articles are all excellent descriptions of models of the patient-physician relationship. Each takes a different perspective on patient autonomy and the role of the physician.
Epstein RM: Mindful practice. JAMA 282: 833–839, 1999. In this article, I propose a model for self-awareness, reflection, and presence that informs technical, interpersonal, and cognitive aspects of medical care.
Stewart M, Brown JB, Weston WW, McWhinney IR, McWilliam CL, Freeman TR: Patient-Centered Medicine: Transforming the Clinical Method. Thousand Oaks, Calif, Sage Publications Inc, 1995. This book examines the practice of medicine, from theoretical models to the provision of care, from a patient-centered perspective that takes the patient’s experience of illness on equal ground with the physician’s diagnostic perspective.
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Epstein, R.M. (2002). The Patient-Physician Relationship. In: Mengel, M.B., Holleman, W.L., Fields, S.A. (eds) Fundamentals of Clinical Practice. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47565-0_19
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