Professional Documents
Culture Documents
QUICK
REFERENCE:
Explaining
Diagnoses
to
the
patient
By
Nazmul
&
Muhammed
Akunjee
QUICK POINTERS
Whilst
patient
do
respect
that
doctors
do
not
know
everything,
they
do
expect
them
to
know
and
be
able
to
explain
common
medical
problems
Having past your AKT exams your medical knowledge will be at an optimum level to tackle the CSA exams
When
explaining
create
an
environment
that
permits
two
way
dialog
and
is
bi-directional
o
What you intend to explain will have been built upon what the doctor and patient have already discussed
Permit the patient to interject if necessary when explaining so that it is an interactive process
Signpost
to
the
patient
that
you
wish
to
offer
an
explanation
of
their
symptoms
o
This
can
save
valuable
time
in
your
CSA
exam
as
well
as
own
consultations
especially
if
the
patient
already
knows
about
their
condition
and
does
not
wish
you
to
repeat
the
explanation
This permits you to check what they already know and see if their understanding needs correcting
Attempt to offer clear & unambiguous explanations. Keep sentences short and simple wherever possible
Consider using easily rememberable analogies that the patient can relate to
Do
home
work,
using
the
internet
or
patient
leaflets
to
look
at
ways
to
explain
in
simple
terms
common
medical
problems
i.e.
diabetes,
hypertension,
stroke,
hypercholesterolaemia.
Test
these
explanations
on
your
everyday
patients
in
your
clinics
before
using
them
in
your
exams
Practising saying theses explanation will make your explanations appear natural and less stuttered
Use
simple
vocabulary
that
is
likely
to
be
understood
by
the
recipient.
Spend
time
of
thinking
of
ways
to
explain
conditions
without
the
use
of
medical
terminologies
or
jargon.
The
patients
trust
in
their
doctor
may
be
shaken
if
their
doctor
appears
to
lack
confidence
in
what
they
are
saying
or
if
they
are
left
confused
but
what
they
are
hearing
Tailor
your
explanation
to
your
patient.
Avoid
offering
over
simplistic
explanations
to
an
educated
patient
as
this
can
be
received
as
being
condescending.
The
opposite
also
applies
Patient leaflets or www.patient.co.uk are a good resource for explanations that lack medical jargon
Appropriate pauses are useful to break your explanation in to retainable and digestible chunks
Patients will feel they have an opportunity to interrupt if they are unclear about things
Weave
some
of
the
information
offered
by
the
patient
in
your
own
explanation
o
Incorporate
as
well
as
acknowledge
the
patients
own
understandings
when
giving
your
explanation,
You
are
right
when
you
thought
that
spicy
foods
can
make
indigestion
worse
Weave
this
information
into
your
explanation
even
if
it
is
incorrect.
This
demonstrates
that
you
are
listening.
I
know
you
said
that
you
were
worried
that
your
chest
pain
was
caused
by
a
heart
attack
as
you
had
watched
it
on
TV,
but
I
can
reassure
you
that
is
more
likely
to
be
caused
by
a
muscle
strain.
This
is
because
Try to quote the same vocabulary the patient has used in their history where possible in your explanation
Patients
will
not
volunteer
that
they
have
not
understood
something.
They
may
however
show
non-verbal
cues
such
as
a
frown.
Offer
the
patient
an
opportunity
to
revisit
the
explanation
Never
attribute
lack
of
understanding
to
the
patient
as
it
can
appear
rude
and
condescending
Is
there
anything
you
have
not
understood?
Attribute
a
lack
of
understanding
t
o
your
poor
attempt
at
explaining
Consider
offering
practice
leaflets
to
patients.
However,
do
summarise
to
patient
its
content
rather
than
just
giving
one
for
the
sake
of
it
SIGNPOSTING
Do
you
want
me
to
explain
what
diabetes
is?
From
what
you
have
said
to
me
and
after
examining
you
I
think
you
have
cellulitis.
Do
you
want
me
to
go
through
this
with
you?
CHECK
LEVEL
OF
UNDERSTANDING
Tell
me
what
do
you
already
know
about
COPD?
Have
you
read
or
heard
anything
about
it
before?
What
does
diabetes
mean
to
you?
CHECK
UNDERSTANDING
I
am
really
sorry
but
I
am
worried
that
I
have
confused
you.
Is
there
anything
you
want
me
to
go
through
again?
Is
there
anything
I
have
said
that
I
could
have
made
more
clear?
I
am
sensing
that
you
are
still
worried
about
something?
Am
I
right?