While taking a patient\'s medical history, Susan asks about his social history.
ID: 353855 • Letter: W
Question
While taking a patient's medical history, Susan asks about his social history. She asks whether he drinks alcohol. The patient immediately becomes defensive and accuses Susan of getting too personal about his affairs.
She is asking questions that are being asked by the doctor; however, the patient does not know why this is Susan’s responsibility. How would you answer the questions put to you by this patient? How would you keep this patient involved in the questions without getting angry? What might Susan suspect of this patient?
You must write at least 4 paragraphs.
Explanation / Answer
This is a case which any good doctor faces in today's world. What we are seeing here is a case of the patient not able to understand the intent of the doctor here.
When we go to a doctor, the doctor has 2 choices:
In this case, the doctor might have straightaway started asking questions that might be perceived as personal by the patient. The doctor should have informed the patient beforehand that she would have to ask a few questions about his social history/drinking habits only for her to be able to make a more informed diagnosis. This is to ensure that her diagnosis is correct, and the problem does not recur. She should give confidence to the patient that these questions are only for the benefit of the patient, and not for any other purpose. I would have answered these questions openly and frankly as I understand that the intent of the doctor is clear.
This is where good communication skills and people skills come in handy for good doctors. You need to make the patient comfortable while asking questions that might be perceived as personal by many. It is important to understand the intent behind these questions, and as a doctor, it is important for you to give confidence to the patient that these questions are for the benefit of the patient, so that he does not have to visit the hospital for the same problem again! This is how you should keep the patient involved in the questions without getting angry.
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