RESEARCH - APS: Thorough patient history essential to treat pain

[Guest guest]

APS 2009: Thorough Patient History Essential to Treat Pain

Gandey

May 8, 2009 (San Diego, California) — Carefully interviewing patients

and thoughtfully listening to their responses can provide a wealth of

information to help clinicians treat pain. This was the subject of the

plenary lecture here at the American Pain Society 28th Annual

Scientific Meeting.

, PhD, recently retired from the University of Virginia

Health System in Charlottesville, talked about the importance of

thoroughly communicating with patients. It is a process he calls

narrative competence, and he warns that an unskilled approach can

adversely affect outcomes.

Dr. says narrative competence is the difference between asking,

Where does it hurt and What is the matter? The first question can be

answered with the point of a finger and may shut down communication,

while the second encourages conversation.

Dr. noted that the concept of narrative competence was first

presented by Rita Charon, MD, from the College of Physicians and

Surgeons of Columbia University, in New York, in the Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA. 2001;286:1897-1902). Dr.

calls it " landmark work " and applauds Dr. Charon for her contribution.

Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/702575

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