Various factors influence a patient's ability to give accurate and complete history. Some factors can be controlled by the interviewing healthcare provider while others are not. Whatever the case, the interviewer should strive to obtain a useful and comprehensive history. Effective communication depends on both verbal and non-verbal cues. Nonverbal cues like eye contact, the tone of voice and restlessness may alert the healthcare professional on the quality of the communication.
Lack of eye contact and a choppy voice may indicate that the patient is anxious and uncomfortable. It could also suggest that the patient is not truthful. Anxiety and discomfort can arise due to failure by the interviewer to establish rapport with the patient. To attain good history, the healthcare provider must build rapport with the patient and make the patient feel welcome. A patient-centered communication technique will yield better information (Berman & Chutka, 2016). The method employs open-ended questions and allows time for the patient to respond. It aids the healthcare provider to show genuine interest in the patient and the patient's problem.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
While eye contact is an essential aspect of history taking, it must conform to the cultural background of the patient. A difference in eye contact perception exists between cultures (Akechi et al., 2013). Whereas it is encouraged in the west, in some ethnic minorities, it may be slightly improper to maintain extended eye contact. Even for cultures that advocate for eye contact in conversation, overly prolonged eye contact may make the patient uncomfortable. To encourage the patient to open up sufficient eye contact is maintained.
Concentrating on the patient and adopting a nonjudgmental attitude also aids in encouraging the patient to give more information. Avoiding both internal and external distracters like glancing at the computer or continuously writing notes helps the patient to relax. It also helps the health care provider to gain trust.
References
Akechi, et al. (2013). Attention to Eye Contact in the West and East: Autonomic Responses and Evaluative Ratings. PLOS , 8(3), e59312. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059312.
Berman, A., C., & Chutka, D., S. (2016). Assessing effective physician-patient communication skills: “Are you listening to me, doc?” Korean J Med Educ , 28(2), 243–249. doi: 10.3946/kjme.2016.21.
