Getting Doctors To Listen to Patients

1996_12 | Getting Doctors To Listen to Patients: "Four habits of highly effective clinicians.
1. Invest in the beginning
* Plan the visit with the patient
* Create rapport quickly
* Draw out a patient's concerns
2. Elicit the patient's perspective
* Ask for the patient's ideas
* Elicit specific requests
* Explore the effect on the patient's life
3. Demonstrate empathy
* Be open to the patient's emotions
* Make at least one empathic statement
* Convey empathy nonverbally
* Be aware of your own reactions
4. Invest in the end
* Deliver diagnostic information
* Provide education
* Involve the patient in making decision
* Complete the visit"

Considering the fact that the average doctor will conduct over 100,000 consultations in his lifetime, it's surprising
and disconcerting to learn how badly most doctors perform this basic task. "Medical interviewing" is a valuable skill which all doctors need to learn - and re-learn, till they have polished it to a fine art !