I came upon this post by Dr Caldwell, a fellow twitteree. I think this summarises beautifully the essential components of a good consultation. We do well to remember them.
1 The patient should be as prepared as possible.
2 The clinician should be as prepared as possible.
3 The clinician should know the person before making the person a patient.
4 The consultation should feel unhurried to both doctor and patient.
5 The clinician should be able to give their undivided attention.
6 The clinician should be able to hear themselves think.
7 There should be a ready supply of information into the consultation.
8 Confidentiality and dignity must be retained.
9 The clinician should be regulalrly refreshed.
10 An important other person should, at the patients request, be encouraged to participate in the consultation.
I shall measure myself against these standards.
Dr Allan Fox
Privategphealthcare.com
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