It has been demonstrated that clinicians systematically underestimate patient symptoms, and that many symptoms go unrecognized. Patients frequently deal with symptoms of both physical and psychological origin between visits and may have been carrying them for an unacceptable period of time, because of the natural thresholds for calling the department. Also, they may forget to communicate the symptoms at their appointment in the clinic. If the symptoms persist and are revealed at the consultation, they are commonly more severe to the patient at this time than when they first appeared.