Table 1 Recommendations for practice
From: Patient-centered consultations for persons with musculoskeletal conditions
Framework components | Application in practice |
|---|---|
Data collection | Ask open-ended questions Allow patients to tell their story Check you understand what matters to them Check if you need to know anything else Try to avoid chasing hypotheses while people are talking Explore the whole person- don’t duck emotions, concerns and problems that are beyond your perceived scope |
Relationship building | Make sure people know you have listened Show empathy for suffering, just as you would to a friend Become comfortable staying with patients’ distress |
Avoiding generic reassurance | Avoid telling patients that everything will be alright unless you really know this is the case Recognize that telling patients nothing is wrong is not always reassuring |
Validation | Be clear and explicit about the fact that you believe the patient Acknowledge the pain and the suffering Explicitly indicate that distress is completely normal under the circumstances |
Cognitive reassurance | Discuss prognosis, treatment options, likely obstacles Use simple language and avoid jargon Make sure the conversation flows both ways Agree on ways forward |