John Launer: Taking the temperature of the consultation

Abstract

Most of us have favourite questions that we like to ask when consulting with patients or that we’re fond of teaching to medical students and resident doctors. One popular question many GPs teach their registrars to ask is, “What made you come today, particularly?” This can sometimes lead patients to disclose a triggering event that was just as important as the long running symptom they first presented with. Personally, I put a different question at the top of my own list for teaching: “How is this conversation going for you so far?” I like this question for several …