The physical exam, Ighani says, “is going out the door in the sense that, No. 1, we’re almost forced, in order to make ends meet, to see more and more patients. We have to cut corners somewhere.

What is the power of touch and how has it played into the history of clinical treatment as well as our current reality?

You may not have noticed, but fewer and fewer doctors these days physically examine their patients. Instead they rely on expensive tests and imaging.

A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 3, 2010, Section D, Page 5 of the New York edition with the headline: Not on the Doctor’s Checklist, but Touch Matters.

Health Medical Matters: Physical examination allows doctors apply the human touch to patients Dr Muiris Houston Mon Jul 28 2014 - 12:40 ...

Physical Examination During Clinical Visits: Kerala HC Highlights Doctor-Patient Touch As A Necessary Practice Recently, the Kerala High Court denied anticipatory bail to a man who was accused of ...

In rural Haiti, a provider has to rely on a personal connection In “The art of the medical exam” (Opinion, Aug. 14), Elissa Ely wrote of how the visual and physical exam have become less valued.