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Tool 20 – Determine your consulting style
Why you should use this tool
When you are looking to assess your consultation skills to determine your consulting style and the extent to which you have a health professional- or patient-centred approach.
When to use this tool
As a health professional who is reviewing the extent to which their normal approach is to be patient centred and enable patients to receive the care that they seek.
What to do |
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| Fill in the checklist overleaf to identify which of your criteria you already have in place to help you in developing your strategy that supports self care and statement of intent. If this tool is used as part of a developmental event rather than as a simple checklist, go on to complete parts 2–3 of the tool. | ||
Time:the minimum time this exercise should take is 50 minutes, allowing a little time for reflection and the involvement of 10 patients who are happy to give you feedback. |
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How it works
Doing this exercise should help you to consider the extent to which you have a health professional- or patient-centred approach. It should also help to keep your determination to support self care in balance with the reasons that the patient is consulting with you.
What to do next
Sell the importance of supporting self care among patients as an integral part of a patient-centred consultation.
For more information on this tool, please click on Tool 20.
Consultation style questionnaire
What sort of consulter are you? Do you have a health professional- or patient-centred approach?
| I do most of the talking | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | The patient does most of the talking |
| I ask mostly closed questions | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | I ask mostly open questions |
| I am mainly interested in problems | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | I am mainly interested in people |
| It is my medical agenda that is most important | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | It is the patient’s agenda that is most important |
| I feel responsible for my patient’s problems | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | The patient is responsible for their own problems |
| I usually try to maintain control and guide the consultation | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | I usually let my patient control and guide the consultation |
| I usually choose management options and plans | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | The patient usually chooses management options and plans |
| I believe in explaining | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | I believe in reaching a shared understanding |
In relation to the above criteria, where are you usually on the scale below?
| A health professional-centred consulter | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | A patient-centred consulter |
(Reproduced with permission from Tate P. The Doctor’s Communication Handbook. Oxford: Radcliffe Medical Press;2001.)