3 Questions You Should Ask Your Patients
The goal of the initial consultation with the patient is to ask questions to facilitate the discussion better. These interviews help to understand better what the patient is going through so they can be provided better support throughout their care. For care to be successful, it is vital to extrapolate relevant details that will help support clinical decision-making throughout rehabilitation. What strategic questions can be asked to help do this?
Have you tried conservative methods before?
This question can be very informative as it reveals relevant patient information and interventions. In addition, past experiences help guide the rehabilitation process, as it helps to understand and gain insight into the patient. This discussion can be telling of the patient's belief systems, values, treatment preferences and many other factors involved in the delivery of care.
What was positive about those past experiences?
The answer to this question is almost like getting a cheat code to provide the best treatment for the patient. The patient will share what part of their treatment they found most helpful. Strategies and a treatment plan can then be developed to address the patient's impairment or functional limitations adequately. However, a patient may offer helpful treatments that do not align with the therapist's professional belief system or clinical balance. Further discussion regarding shared decision-making and the treatment process may be required in cases like these.
What was negative about these past experiences?
Learning from past mistakes helps clinicians develop effective treatment plans moving forward. What went wrong or learning about the negative part of the patient's experience will help provide a wealth of information that can aid in understanding what can be done to enhance their current and future care.
These strategic questions are aimed at enhancing the patient's care and personal experience. Understanding this information will help clinicians better support the patient and deliver the highest quality of care.