Table 1 Definition of each medical interview skill (Medical Interview Evaluation System)
Medical inter skill | Definition |
|---|---|
Open-ended questions | An open-ended question invites the patient to use his or her own judgment in deciding what topics and problems to emphasize. These questions invite patients to describe their problems by using their own vocabulary and personal experience of their symptoms |
Close-ended questions | A question which can be answered by Yes/No or a single word |
Survey questions | A question after summarization (the summary) to survey the problem, and whether the patient has other problems or not |
Focused questions | The question for understanding clearly the contents which a patient is going to tell and not a close-ended question but in-between open-ended questions and close-ended questions. In other words, questions which slightly limited the range of the answer. For example, “Where is the pain?” |
Requests for feelings | Direct requests for the patient’s own feelings |
Asking the patient’s ideas about the meaning of the illness | Directly asking the patient what he or she thinks could be causing the symptom |
Asking the patient’s preferences about the examination | Directly asking the patient what kind of examination he or she would like to have or not have |
Summarization | Attempts on the physician’s part to summarize the information settled to some extent that he or she has just received from the patient |
Reflection | The physician’s statement of an observed feeling or emotion in the patient |
Legitimization | An intervention that specifically communicates acceptance and validation of the patient’s emotional experience |
Personal support | Letting the patient know that the doctor is there for the patient and wants to help |
Partnership | Letting the patient feel a sense of partnership |
Respect for patients | Respectful communication strategies, such as addressing the patient by name or giving affirmative comments |