Dr. Stan Pelofsky’s Hot Tip
Find a great opening line that works for you, then use it every time! Remember, the opening line only works if you let the patient answer.
Getting the Right Diagnosis and Establishing Rapport
My opening line when I first encounter a new patient is, “What’s a nice person like you doing in a place like this?” Yes, this is an unorthodox approach but it helps relax the patient and makes them smile. The key to this approach, and likely most challenging for most of us, is then keeping your mouth shut and letting them talk. I have found it takes just 2-3 minutes of uninterrupted talk by the patient to help me arrive at a correct diagnosis and insure great patient-physician rapport.
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