Some doctors try to establish a more personal relationship with you by talking about themselves, their own health problems, their family members, even their political beliefs.

Could their good intentions be bad medicine?

In a recent study by the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, actors posed as patients in secretly recorded medical visits to test this theory.

The researchers expected that chatty doctors would encourage patients to open up about their own problems. Supposedly, this would give the doctor valuable information to help in treating their patients.

But The Results Were Quite Different…

Out of 113 patient visits with primary care physicians, the doctors revealed personal information 34% of the time.

None of these personal disclosures were focused on the patient. In fact, 85% were considered useless and 11% were actually disruptive.

Part of the problem may be today’s shortened office visits.

If a doctor interrupts the flow of your complaints with information about himself, the researchers found that 79% of the time, the conversation never returned to your problems.

So instead of helping you, the doctor may actually hurt you by failing to address your concerns.

Sometimes, The Doctors Were Just Selfish…

They were looking to have their own needs met… like when they complained about workplace stress or financial problems.

In those cases, the researchers suggested that doctors use support groups, not patient visits, to take care of their own needs.

I’ve occasionally noticed some one-upmanship when I’ve gone to a doctor.

One time, I had pain in my right side from my appendix.

Instead of trying to figure out what was wrong with me, the doctor kept telling me about pain he’d once experienced from a kidney stone.

He said I couldn’t possibly have anything serious until I’d had the kind of pain where you can’t move — like his kidney stone pain.

He never did diagnose me correctly. But I did feel his pain when I got the bill.

The researchers say this type of disruptive behavior occurs about 11% of the time. I say don’t pay the bill and see how quickly that 11% goes to zero.

But Usually, They Were Just Trying To Help…

In most cases, the doctors were genuinely trying to build better relationships with their patients through self-disclosure.

The problem was that their comments had nothing to do with their patients.

The researchers concluded that self-disclosures from doctors are ultimately misguided — and bad medicine.

Instead, they believe physicians should show compassion and understanding toward their patients as a means to deepen the doctor-patient relationship.

That way, you not only feel more trusting of your doctor, but you receive better health care, too.

Personally, I’d settle for the right diagnosis, the right treatment, and a bill that doesn’t bankrupt me — all on the first visit. Beyond that, I don’t care what the doctor talks about.

But that’s just me. What do you think?