Medical History & Diagnosis
Achieving Openess & Honesty In Discussions With Patients
Making an Accurate Diagnosis
(Used with permission from Management Sciences for Health)
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Making an accurate diagnosis is, to a large extent, dependent on having a clear understanding of the patient’s medical history and current symptoms. This may be more difficult when the patient has a limited ability to understand and speak English, or does not feel comfortable telling the provider about some aspect of her/his medical condition or lifestyle.
The following three sets of exercises and tools can help create an environment in which the patient is more likely to discuss the situation openly and honestly. It is important to ask the questions in a friendly, relaxed way; to listen carefully to the responses; to probe more deeply when the responses are unclear; and to stop asking questions when the patient’s body language, tone of voice, or facial expression indicates tiredness, discomfort, or resistance.
- Tools for Providers to Elicit Health Beliefs
The following list of questions can help a provider to better understand the patient’s perception of his/her illness. - Exploring A Patient's Background These questions are a guide to accessing important information. You will probably want to re-phrase them in your own words, using language that is understandable to the patient you are interviewing, and relying on a professional interpreter whenever possible.
- ETHNIC: A Framework for Culturally Competent Clinical Practice
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