Measurement of empathy among Argentine cardiologists: Psychometrics and differences by age, gender, and subspecialty.

Background: Cardiologists are involved in the management of patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors and chronic heart diseases, so empathy is a necessary feature to deal with them. The aim of the study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) among Argentine cardiologists and to explore the potential differences by age, gender, and subspecialty.

Methods: Between August and September 2012, we performed a survey in a non-randomized sample of 566 Spanish-speaking cardiologists of Argentina.

Survey on Ethical Conduct Thresholds in Cardiologal Medical Practice in Argentina.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the attitude of a group of cardiologists on the ethical conducts they would accept or adopt when encountered with different hypothetical situations of medical practice. Between August and September of 2011, 700 Argentine cardiologists were surveyed in situations which posed ethical dilemmas in the patient-physician relationship, among colleagues or involving financial agreements with employers or the pharmaceutical industry. Ethical conflicts were evidenced in a series of inappropriate conducts such as differential fees, trips and meals sponsored by laboratories, splitting fees, overbilling, self-referral, charging for patient referral, financial compensation for ordering medical procedures, and various situations derived from the relationship with employers.