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more empathy, asked fewer leading questions, and were more re-
sponsive to patient cues. More positive still –
3
_____________
and patients were more likely to comply with treatment.
(adopted from
Communication Skills for Medicine
, 2006)
b. Discuss these questions in small groups.
1. Do the statistics in the article surprise you? Why (not)?
2. Are there any situations where the patient-centered approach
might not be appropriate?
3. Do you patients want to be part of the patient-centered ap-
proach? Explain your answer.
4. Acquaint with the useful words and phrases for taking his-
tory and remember them.
Present complaint
Radiation
Where does it hurt?
Show me
where it hurts?
Character
Does it go anywhere else?
Precipitating factors
Does anything bring them
on?
Time of onset (resolu-
tion)
When do they start (stop)?
Frequency
How often do you get them?
Aggravating factors
Does anything make them
worse?
Is there anything else that af-
fects them?
Relieving factors
Does anything make them
better?
Associated features
Do you feel anything else
wrong when it’s there?
Have you any other prob-
lems related to the pain?
Duration
How long do they last?
Severity
How bad is it?