Have you ever contacted your primary care clinician worried about an episode of headache or a bout of dizziness? These symptoms, though often temporary, can easily drive patients to seek medical advice. Conditions like certain viral infections, psychological distress, and pain syndromes frequently resolve on their own, yet they remain common reasons for visiting a clinician. How can primary care clinicians effectively reassure patients while also providing the necessary safety net advice?
Intervention here relates to pharmacological treatments, including medicines or surgery.
Achieving this type of balance can be quite challenging. On one hand, clinicians aim to reassure patients about the self-limiting nature of their ailments. On the other, they must provide safety net advice to cover potential medicolegal concerns, which can inadvertently undermine the reassurance given.
To navigate this delicate balance, here are three tips for improving consultations when discussing conditions that typically resolve without intervention:
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of self-limiting conditions: Familiarise yourself with conditions like viral infections and pain syndromes, which often resolve on their own. Being well-informed enables you to confidently reassure patients.
• Adopt a long-term perspective on doctor-patient relationships: Building trust with patients over time can enhance their confidence in your advice, reducing unnecessary follow-up visits for the same symptoms.
• Refine your communication techniques: Ensure that your reassurance is not overshadowed by safety net advice. For example, instead of focusing solely on the potential for symptoms to worsen, balance your advice by emphasising the benign nature of the current condition.
It’s common practice for clinicians to advise patients to contact 111 or 999 if symptoms worsen. However, this can inadvertently transfer some of the clinician’s uncertainty or medicolegal anxiety to the patient. Instead, consider framing your advice in a way that empowers patients. For instance, you might say, “This seems like a benign condition. Remember, we are here every day, so if you develop additional symptoms, don’t hesitate to call us back.”
Experienced doctors find that patients rarely return for the same symptoms when safety netting is communicated in a patient-oriented manner. This approach not only reassures patients but also empowers them with the knowledge they can share with family and the wider community. Ultimately, this fosters a more informed population, better equipped to understand which conditions will likely resolve on their own.
In essence, the goal is to create a healthcare environment where patients feel both reassured and informed, understanding that many common ailments will improve without further intervention. By mastering this balance, clinicians can enhance patient trust and reduce unnecessary medical visits and treatments, contributing to a more efficient and patient-centred healthcare system.
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