Minutus

How long are your forms? Have you had any feedback from individuals about what they think of forms? I had some interesting feedback - several people told me they felt like they were back at school taking exams. While we had a good laugh, it made me think about how people approach forms.

Donna

My form is a simple front and back of an A4 sheet. I have seen some that are booklets!!!
Personal details
Presenting Complaints
Medication (gives them a chance to look up the spelling so I can look them up in my BNF)
Past treatment
Where did you hear about the clinic (to see if advertising in Yellow pages is worth it- 99% are from recommendation)
Operations and serious illnesses
Accidents
Immunisations
Childhood diseases
A list of parts of the body and things like depression,STD drug dependency,bowels etc with the code R= recent, P= past, O=ongoing
Temperature
Family Medical History

I expect it probably has to do somewhat with the nature of the forms. Most health practitioners have people fill out a summation of their health history before the first visit, so in the US, at least, people are used to that. That's essentially the nature of the form I send out, and no one has appeared find it intrusive. I remember, in contrast, a well known homeopath a friend was going to consult, who sent out a 30 page form to fill out, in small print, that took a full 8 hours to complete!! That felt like a marathon, and did affect the interview, I'm sure -- left absolutely no room for spontaneity. And also, as Donna points out, how people complete and approach the form provides a wonderful first insight into their essential nature -- a good remedy clue. Rosemary

Dear Dr. Rozencwajg,
Would you be kind enough to share that
standard pattern of questions? Perhaps
as a doctor, patients see you as an
authority figure and are afraid to
wander from what they consider a script
of sorts. Also, how about your question
form Rochelle? In as much as you each
use an opposite M.O. and each of you find
your technique quite effective, I smell a
learning moment here!
Grace & Peace

I use intake forms, but rarely mail them out. I find it more interesting to
watch how the patient navigates through the form (spelling problems,
questions, talking to self or me, seeking help from spouse or parent, etc.).
I guess I'm also afraid that if I know too much in advance, I'll pigeonhole
the patient and not take the case as thoroughly as I should.

Peace,
Cinnabar

Really nothing complicated:
1. What can I do for you? from there we explore what brings the patient in,
what he wants or believes needs to be cured, try to get to the origin, etc,.
......that can take a long time...

2. Going through the systems and organs (any headaches, any respiratory
problems....) so that nothing is left over (you'd be surprised the number of
times I hear "oh I have the normal asthma/PMS/hot flushes......); often used
to cool off a # 1. question situation that has become very sensitive, then
back to it.

3. Food, thirst, perspiration, weather, sleep, dreams, mental and emotional
= the generalities and modalities in a systematic way

Then repertorisation with the patient present so I can ask extra questions
while doing it.

Figure of authority, I do not think so, more a guide than anything else, but
with a firm foundation and background. I make sure that I can backup,
justify and explain anything I say, which is why the GPs and specialists
like working with me but at the same time are terrified, although I have
always been ethical and when finding errors, gave them polite feedback with
recommendations that are almost always followed.
Dr. J. Rozencwajg, MD, PhD.
"The greatest enemy of any science is a closed mind".

Dear Dr R,

I love that!!

Rochelle

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Yeah, can't we clone you?

Shannon

You can clown me!!!!!!!!!
Dr. J. Rozencwajg, MD, PhD.
"The greatest enemy of any science is a closed mind".

Thanks to all for the feedback re: mailing out case forms prior to the first consultation.

I think the best thing is to try it for a couple of months and see what advantages there may be compared with what I do now.

Chris.

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