醫療行為的機械化、醫病關係的去人性化，病患權益意識的提高，醫師與病人社會地位的改變，以及民眾對醫療服務的失望，均為醫療糾紛增加的原因。近十年來，根據衛生署的統計，國內醫療糾紛案例遽增。醫病關係日漸低落，國內國外的醫界學界均十分重視這問題的嚴重，因此如何改善醫病關係實為醫界當務之急。本文針對醫病關係的特質，醫病關係所遭遇到的問題以及目前的醫療環境引起的醫病之間的緊張關係作一探討，期望達到改善醫病關係的目的。

Medical malpractice cases arise due to machinization of medical behavior, dehumanization of the doctor-patient relationship, improvement of patients' rights, changes in doctor-patient social status, and disappointment of medical services by patients. In the recent ten years, the incidence of medical malpractice has dramatically increased in Taiwan according to the statistical reports from the Department of Health, Taiwan, ROC. The improvement of the doctor-patient relationship is a critical and urgent issue for the academic and medical professionals due to a lack of a satisfactory doctor-patient relationship. In order to strengthen the doctor-patient relationship, this article discussed the problems and tensioned doctor-patient relationship caused by the current medical environment regarding the characteristics of the doctor-patient relationship.