Clinical Encounter: A Guide to the Medical Interview and Case Presentation / Edition 2

by J. Andrew Billings

Overview

For the highest quality patient care, medical professionals need confidence in their skills with the patient interview. THE CLINICAL ENCOUNTER: A GUIDE TO THE MEDICAL INTERVIEW AND CASE PRESENTATION provides the tools and practical guidelines needed for clinical practice. Part I addresses the basics in the medical interview. Part II focuses on advanced topics and problems that students and physicians may encounter on a daily basis. It features doctor-patient dialogues and vignettes on how to act and respond in any patient encounter in a respectful, caring way. The authors' clear writing style and specific suggestions offer guidance for easing difficult and sensitive situations relevant to day-to-day clinical settings.

Features clear, easy to read writing style to facilitate understanding and aid in improved patient interactions. Divides topics into essential and advanced topics which allows user to access topics of immediate need. Provides boxes and tables to summarize important topics for quick access and retrieval of information. Describes situations that most physicians will likely encounter in practice to make content relevant and extremely useful. Provides interesting quotations from famous and not so famous for meaningful comments and humor to a serious topic Features thoughtful text with warm, caring, respectful guidance for patient interaction to help healthcare professionals be human, not just rushed, fact-finders. Provides practical examples and sample questions and statements to help patient feel comfortable and doctor obtain needed information to give user ideas for every situation of how and what to say to build confidence and skill when talking withpatients.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900815113743
Publisher:	Elsevier Health Sciences
Publication date:	08/01/1998
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Table of Contents

PART 1: A GUIDE TO THE INTERVIEW 1. Overview 2. Beginning the Interview and Establishing a Relationship: 3. Eliciting Information for Diagnosis and Management I: The Interviewing Process 4. Eliciting Information for Diagnosis and Management II: The Content of the Medical Interview 5. More Interviewing Techniques 6. Consulting With Your Preceptor 7. The Exposition Phase: Informing and Counseling the Patient 8. Recording 9. Readings PART 2: ADVANCED TOPICS 10. More Tactics for Eliciting Information 11. Learning From Hearing and Seeing Yourself 12. The Mental Status Examination 13. Difficult Relationships 14. Carrying Out A Plan 15. The Return Visit 16. Home Visits and Functional Assessment 17. The Medical Record 18. Oral Case Presentation 19. Collaborative Care 0Afterword: A History of History Taking Appendix A: Complete Case Write-up Appendix B: Sample Problem List Appendix C: A Basic Outpatient Medical History Form Appendix D: Criteria for Case Write-ups

Editorial Reviews

4 Stars! from Doody

This is the second edition of a book in which theauthors address the process of the medical interview and thepatient-physician clinical encounter. The authors point out that thistext originally grew out of a 1981 publication entitledIntroduction to the Clinical Interview--A Handbook forOptometry Students by David Greenberg, Stanley Reiser, andthe authors of this book. Subsequent revisions were made by theHarvard Medical Faculty, including Dr. Billings, to serve as a text inintroductory courses in clinical medicine for students at theMassachusetts General Hospital. The authors have two intentions. Thefirst is to reveal the multiplicity of meanings extant in the processof the physician-patient interview. By revealing the nature of theprocess in which crucial information is gathered and a highly personaltrusting relationship is being forged, the authors then fulfill asecond intention, which is to offer a prescription for the right way toconduct the patient interview -- not a rigid one -- but one withwonderfully insightful tips in order to make accurate diagnoses to be aphysician in the full sense of the word. This book is clearlyintended for medical students beginning their work in clinicalmedicine. The authors address the format for complete history takingand the assessment and plan for patients, as well as furnish samplecase write-ups and tips for oral presentation of cases to supervisingteachers. All this information is supplied in a superb fashion. Thisbook also contains information that can be of substantial value toresident physicians, medical students not exposed to a similar approachto patients, and to practicing physicians who may gain new insightsabouttheir daily encounters with patients. The authors clearlydemonstrate reliable knowledge on the subject matter. The book isdivided into two parts. The first contains eight chapters on theinterview process and a ninth chapter with reading references. Tables,called ""quick tips,"" are used periodically to summarize topics. Part II consists of ten chapters on a variety of topics. There is anafterword, ""History of History Taking."" Chapters are introduced witha variety of well-chosen quotations and aphorisms on the subject of thephysician's task. The authors offer the student physician insightsinto patient needs and wants, expressed in language appropriate for themedical context and mercifully devoid of communications theoryjargon. As an instructive guide to medical students and medicalresidents, this book is in a class by itself. The wisdom thatunderlies the writing of this book offers physicians-to-be andpracticing physicians insights that will improve their patient care aswell as enhance their enjoyment of their lives asphysicians.

Albert Liebman

Reviewer: Albert Liebman, MD (Medical College of Wisconsin)
Description: This is the second edition of a book in which the authors address the process of the medical interview and the patient-physician clinical encounter.
Purpose: The authors point out that this text originally grew out of a 1981 publication entitled Introduction to the Clinical Interview—A Handbook for Optometry Students by David Greenberg, Stanley Reiser, and the authors of this book. Subsequent revisions were made by the Harvard Medical Faculty, including Dr. Billings, to serve as a text in introductory courses in clinical medicine for students at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The authors have two intentions. The first is to reveal the multiplicity of meanings extant in the process of the physician-patient interview. By revealing the nature of the process in which crucial information is gathered and a highly personal trusting relationship is being forged, the authors then fulfill a second intention, which is to offer a prescription for the right way to conduct the patient interview — not a rigid one — but one with wonderfully insightful tips in order to make accurate diagnoses to be a physician in the full sense of the word.
Audience: This book is clearly intended for medical students beginning their work in clinical medicine. The authors address the format for complete history taking and the assessment and plan for patients, as well as furnish sample case write-ups and tips for oral presentation of cases to supervising teachers. All this information is supplied in a superb fashion. This book also contains information that can be of substantial value to resident physicians, medical students not exposed to a similar approach to patients, and to practicing physicians who may gain new insights about their daily encounters with patients. The authors clearly demonstrate reliable knowledge on the subject matter.
Features: The book is divided into two parts. The first contains eight chapters on the interview process and a ninth chapter with reading references. Tables, called "quick tips," are used periodically to summarize topics. Part II consists of ten chapters on a variety of topics. There is an afterword, "History of History Taking." Chapters are introduced with a variety of well-chosen quotations and aphorisms on the subject of the physician's task. The authors offer the student physician insights into patient needs and wants, expressed in language appropriate for the medical context and mercifully devoid of communications theory jargon.
Assessment: As an instructive guide to medical students and medical residents, this book is in a class by itself. The wisdom that underlies the writing of this book offers physicians-to-be and practicing physicians insights that will improve their patient care as well as enhance their enjoyment of their lives as physicians.

Doody's Review Service