The Difference Between Good Doctors and Great Doctors

In the medical system what is a really defining difference between good doctors and great doctors is making sure that you have a physical examination towards the end of the consultation rather than at the beginning. With elderly patients great doctors encourage them to bring their family or somebody else who can listen on their behalf. In Canada there's currently an experiment underway where the national health system is funding a project to have professional listeners sit there and take notes with patients while they talk to doctors. Ironically the opposite is true that best listeners in the medical profession are nurses because they can take the time to build rapport between patient and nurse.