The literature review of select studies on doctor-patient communication seeks to answer some of the frequently expressed questions and doubts about patient-centred interviewing. Studies from Canada, the United States, Britain and Holland, mostly in family practice, provide us with a rich source of data to ponder. The five questions we ask are: Do patient-centred consultations make a difference to patient outcomes? Are patient-centred doctors medically competent? Are patient-centred visits long? Are physicians consistent in their interview styles from patient to patient? How do students learn the patient-centred approach?