The role of empathy in establishing rapport in the consultation: a new model

The model appears to capture the dynamic process of establishing a therapeutic relationship (rapport) between doctor and patient, defined by the quality of the doctor's understanding of the patient's perspective on his or her problem. Arguably, the most important contribution of the model is to highlight the fact that 'empathy' and consequent 'rapport' are not mystical or exclusive concepts but, rather, involve the use of specific skills accessible at some level by all.