Communication & Consultation

Table of Contents

• Questions for Discussion

  • Essential Techniques to Improve Listening Skills
  • Differences Between Consultation in PHC & Hospital
  • Modification of Help Seeking Behavior
  • Opportunistic Health Promotion
  • Patient’s ICE
  • Safetynetting
  • Housekeeping
  • Enhancing Concordance
  • Differences Between Doctor-Centered and Patient-Centered

• Greater Use of ‘Open’ Questions

• Core Values of Family Physicians

• Patient Signals or Cues

• Dysfunctional Consultation

• Information Gathering (History Taking)

  • Notes

Communication & Consultation

Questions for Discussion

Essential Techniques to Improve Listening Skills

1. What are the essential techniques to improve your listening skills?
   • a) Ask open questions
   • b) Paraphrasing
   • c) Summarize

Differences Between Consultation in PHC & Hospital

2. What are the differences between consultation in PHC & Hospital?

Modification of Help Seeking Behavior

3. Define ‘Modification of Help Seeking Behavior’ - Give example.
   • Modification of Help Seeking Behavior refers to changing the way individuals seek assistance or medical help, often to encourage more timely or appropriate use of healthcare services.
   • Example: Educating patients about the importance of early intervention for chronic diseases to prevent complications.

Opportunistic Health Promotion

4. What is Opportunistic Health Promotion – Give example.
   • Opportunistic Health Promotion involves taking advantage of every interaction with patients to promote healthy behaviors and lifestyle changes.
   • Example: A doctor advising a patient on smoking cessation during a visit for an unrelated issue.

Patient’s ICE

5. What are the Patient’s ICE? – When to use in the consultation?
   • ICE stands for Ideas, Concerns, and Expectations. It is used to understand the patient’s perspective and should be explored during consultations to ensure patient-centered care.

Safetynetting

6. Define (Safetynetting)? – Give examples
   • Safetynetting involves providing patients with information on what to do if their condition does not improve, worsens, or if they have concerns after a consultation.
   • Example: Advising a patient to return if symptoms persist or new symptoms develop.

Housekeeping

7. Define (Housekeeping)? – Give example
   • Housekeeping in a medical context refers to the organization and management of tasks to ensure a smooth and efficient consultation process.
   • Example: Ensuring all patient records are updated and accessible before a consultation.

Enhancing Concordance

8. How to Enhance Concordance?
   • Enhancing concordance involves building a mutual agreement between the patient and healthcare provider on the treatment plan, ensuring that the patient’s preferences and values are considered.

Differences Between Doctor-Centered and Patient-Centered

9. Differences between Doctor-centred / Patient-centred?
   • Doctor-centered care focuses on the physician’s perspective, often prioritizing clinical outcomes over patient preferences.
   • Patient-centered care emphasizes understanding the patient’s needs, values, and preferences, and involves them in decision-making.

Core Values of Family Physicians

10. Mention the Core values of Family Physicians?

    • Generalist
    • Patient-oriented
    • Gate-Keeper
    • Patient Advocator & Continuity of care

Patient Signals or Cues

11. What are the patient signals or cues? How to respond to patient’s cues?

• Patient signals or cues are verbal or non-verbal indications of their thoughts, feelings, or concerns. Responding involves acknowledging these cues and addressing them empathetically to ensure effective communication.

Dysfunctional Consultation

12. What is the Dysfunctional consultation?

• A dysfunctional consultation is one that fails to meet the needs of the patient or healthcare provider, often resulting in poor outcomes or dissatisfaction.

13. What are the reasons for Dysfunctional consultation?

• Reasons can include poor communication, lack of empathy, inadequate information gathering, and failure to address patient concerns.

14. What are the signs for the Dysfunctional consultation?
    • Poor reputation among patients
    • Upset patients or doctors
    • Increasing complaints
    • Increasing critical events
    • Reduced job satisfaction

Information Gathering (History Taking)

15. What is the best skill for information gathering (History taking)?

• The best skill for information gathering is active listening, which involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and remembering what the patient says.