Length of patient's monologue, rate of completion, and relation to other components of the clinical encounter: observational intervention study in primary care

Abstract

mean excess rating increased from 89% (SD 52) in 1990 to 158% (SD 40) in 2002 (difference 69%, 95% confidence interval 41 to 97; P < 0.000, paired t test), but fell to 56% (SD 43) on treatment (102%, 79 to 126; P < 0.000), which was 33% lower (5 to 61; P = 0.022) than the original rating in 1990.