Do you know how to identify an ideal doctor to ensure the best healthcare? Television's fictional characters Dr. Marcus Welby and Doogie Howser may have set the bar in the type of support patient's expect from their physicians. But with the cost of medical care going up and more Americans being financially responsible for visits to their physician's office, finding the right doctor is a growing concern. Despite, President Bush's focus to reduce malpractice suits, what actions can you take to ensure quality assurance?

It all starts in your doctor selection. In an effort to identify the perfect physician Mayo Clinic conducted a study to find seven effective behaviors of the ideal physician. Overall the findings recommended that medical care requires a patient-centered approach. From 2001 and 2002, Mayo Clinic's study involved telephone interviews with more than 190 patients. The participants were interviewed from visits of 14 medical specialties of Mayo Clinic including medical facilities in Rochester, Minnesota and Scottsdale, Arizona.

The study was devised to determine a comprehensive set of ideal doctor behaviors. The interviews were compiled from both satisfied and discontent patients. Seven distinctive characteristics were highlighted in the study with Mayo Clinic physicians:

-Confident
-Empathetic
-Humane
-Personal
-Forthright
-Respectful
-Thorough

The findings of the study depicted patients who experienced the worst doctor experience focused on traits that were quite different from the physician behaviors. Particularly, insensitivity and disrespectful behavior were perceived more prevalently as negative characteristics. Emotional reactions, behavioral and medical outcomes (recovery and compliance) were found to be impacted by the quality of a patient's relationship with their doctor.

The conclusion of the study suggests that training both new and practicing physicians how to engage interpersonal skills could serve as effective care for patients.