It's not the stethoscope, it's the ears. Doctors have a lot to listen to when a patient arrives complaining about a health matter.
But the patient's story tops the list.
Medical schools stress the importance of taking a patient history and keeping the story straight, a process underscored in the book Listening For What Matters. Authors Saul Weiner and Alan Schwartz join us with the story of how careful listening avoids errors in treatment.