Patient communication questions.
79 patient communicationquestions from the bank — open to read. Pick one and practice it out loud; a coach note comes back in seconds.
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All 79 questions
Walk me through how you'd tell a 52-year-old patient that the biopsy results show pancreatic cancer.A patient with type 2 diabetes hasn't been taking their medications. Walk me through how you'd approach that conversation.An 80-year-old patient with cognitive decline is refusing a recommended procedure. Walk me through how you'd assess capacity.A patient from a religious tradition you don't share is making a treatment decision shaped by their beliefs. Walk me through how you'd engage.An elderly patient wants one treatment plan; their adult children are pushing for another. Walk me through your approach.Walk me through how you'd tell a young mother that her newborn has a serious congenital condition.A patient with a long smoking history says they've heard the lecture before. Walk me through your conversation.A young patient is making a decision their family considers self-destructive. Walk me through how you'd approach.A patient who doesn't speak English fluently brought a family member to translate. Walk me through your approach.Walk me through how you'd lead a family meeting when the patient is unconscious and family members disagree on goals of care.A patient asks 'Am I going to die?' during a serious diagnosis discussion. Walk me through your response.Walk me through how you'd approach a patient who has read concerning information online and is convinced their diagnosis is wrong.A patient with severe pain is asking for opioids you don't think are appropriate. Walk me through your conversation.A patient brings a folk-medicine practice into the conversation. Walk me through how you'd engage without dismissing.A teenage patient asks to be seen without their parent present. Walk me through how you'd respond.Walk me through how you'd tell a patient that an error in their care led to a worse outcome.A patient comes in repeatedly with stress-related concerns and resists referrals to behavioral health. Walk me through your conversation.Walk me through how you'd handle a discharge plan when a patient appears to lack the resources to follow it.A patient says they don't trust the medical system because of past experiences. Walk me through your response.A spouse asks you not to share certain information with the patient. Walk me through how you'd respond.Walk me through how you'd communicate a poor prognosis to a patient who has expressed they want full optimism only.A patient with hypertension says they don't believe in long-term medications. Walk me through your conversation.Walk me through how you'd respond to a patient who's refusing transfusion on religious grounds.Walk me through how you'd handle a conversation where a patient's pronouns differ from those in the chart.An adult patient and their elderly parent attend a visit together; the parent dominates the conversation. Walk me through your approach.Walk me through how you'd revisit a treatment plan with a patient when imaging shows the disease has progressed despite therapy.A patient repeatedly returns with weight concerns but resists structured interventions. Walk me through your conversation.Walk me through how you'd approach a patient who appears to be in an unsafe living situation.A patient is uncomfortable discussing sensitive topics with a clinician of a different gender. Walk me through your response.Walk me through how you'd handle a goals-of-care conversation when the family has agreed to comfort care but the patient is suddenly more alert.Walk me through how you'd tell a 25-year-old patient that their routine labs show new onset diabetes.A patient with asthma hasn't been using their inhaler because they feel fine most days. Walk me through your conversation.A 70-year-old patient is refusing physical therapy after a fall. Walk me through how you'd assess whether they have capacity to refuse.A patient mentions they prefer traditional healing practices alongside Western medicine. Walk me through how you'd respond.A patient's adult daughter keeps answering questions you've directed to the patient. Walk me through how you'd handle this.Walk me through how you'd tell a patient that their test results show they need to be admitted to the hospital today.A patient with obesity says they've tried dieting many times and nothing works. Walk me through your approach.A patient with mild dementia wants to continue driving but their spouse disagrees. Walk me through how you'd assess the patient's capacity to make this decision.A patient asks you to pray with them before a procedure. Walk me through how you'd respond.A patient's family member pulls you aside and asks for updates without the patient present. Walk me through your response.Walk me through how you'd tell a college athlete that their injury will require them to sit out the rest of the season.A patient says they know they should exercise but they're too busy with work and family. Walk me through your conversation.You have to deliver a serious diagnosis over a telehealth video visit because the patient can't come in. Walk me through what changes about how you do it.The portal released a biopsy result overnight and the patient read it before you could call. They join the visit already in tears, asking why they had to find out alone. Walk me through the conversation.A patient asks for a weight-loss medication they've seen all over social media, and it isn't clearly indicated for them. Walk me through the conversation.A patient's smartwatch alerts have them checking their heart rate dozens of times a day, and they want a cardiac workup despite a normal evaluation. Walk me through how you'd talk about it.A patient tells you their online support community knows their condition better than doctors do, and the community's advice conflicts with your plan. Walk me through how you'd engage.An inpatient's three adult children live in different cities, each calls separately for updates, and they relay conflicting versions to each other. The patient is alert and easygoing about it. Walk me through how you'd structure communication.A patient with expressive aphasia after a stroke needs to make a treatment decision. Walk me through how you'd adapt your communication to give them a fair capacity assessment.A scan done for something else turns up an incidental finding that's probably benign but needs surveillance imaging for two years. Walk me through how you'd explain it without either alarming or falsely reassuring the patient.An older patient quietly admits they can't manage the portal, the e-check-in, or video visits, and they're embarrassed about it. Walk me through how you'd respond and adjust their care.Your patient's care plan depends on a spouse who looks exhausted and admits they haven't slept properly in weeks. The patient hasn't noticed. Walk me through how you'd raise it with both of them.A parent is hesitant about a routine childhood vaccine after things they've read on social media. Walk me through the conversation.A patient nods along and agrees with everything you say, asking no questions. Walk me through how you'd check whether they actually understand enough to decide.A 28-year-old patient who was expecting routine test results learns they have metastatic melanoma. Walk me through how you'd deliver this unexpected news.A patient with chronic pain is requesting opioid refills that you believe are inappropriate. Walk me through how you'd have this conversation while maintaining the therapeutic relationship.Walk me through how you'd tell parents that their teenager was admitted following a suicide attempt and that you're legally required to disclose certain information.A patient with obesity is avoiding discussing weight despite it being relevant to their presenting condition. Walk me through how you'd approach this sensitively.A 70-year-old patient insists on driving despite a new diagnosis that may impair their ability. Walk me through how you'd assess decision-making capacity and address safety.A patient from an Indigenous community wants to incorporate traditional healing practices alongside your treatment plan. Walk me through your response.A father is demanding aggressive treatment for his adult daughter who has expressed wishes for comfort care only. Walk me through how you'd navigate this conflict.Walk me through how you'd tell a patient that a medical error occurred during their care and resulted in harm.A patient with schizophrenia is refusing antipsychotic medication while experiencing active delusions. Walk me through how you'd assess their capacity to refuse treatment.A patient reveals they cannot afford the medication you're prescribing but is too embarrassed to discuss finances. Walk me through how you'd address this.A Muslim patient is fasting for Ramadan and this complicates the timing of essential medications. Walk me through how you'd collaborate on a plan.A patient's spouse privately tells you the patient is becoming forgetful and may not understand the treatment plan, but the patient insists they're fine. Walk me through your approach.Walk me through how you'd tell a couple undergoing IVF that their final embryo transfer was unsuccessful.A teenager with a chronic illness wants to manage their own care, but their parents are micromanaging every decision. Walk me through how you'd facilitate autonomy.A patient who is deaf is accompanied by a hearing family member offering to interpret, but you notice the patient seems frustrated. Walk me through your approach.A patient with alcohol use disorder has relapsed after months of sobriety. Walk me through how you'd approach the conversation without expressing judgment.Walk me through how you'd inform a young athlete that an injury will end their competitive career.A patient's family is asking you to withhold a terminal diagnosis from the patient, citing cultural norms. Walk me through how you'd navigate this.A patient with borderline personality disorder is splitting the care team and making contradictory complaints. Walk me through how you'd address this in a therapeutic way.A patient with early dementia is making financial decisions their family considers reckless. Walk me through how you'd assess whether intervention is warranted.A patient discloses they're transgender but hasn't told their family, who are present. Walk me through how you'd navigate documentation and communication.A patient who survived a stroke is deeply depressed about their disability and has stopped participating in rehabilitation. Walk me through your conversation.Walk me through how you'd conduct a family meeting when siblings disagree about pursuing palliative care versus continued aggressive treatment for their parent.A patient asks you directly whether you would choose the treatment you're recommending if you were in their position. Walk me through your response.A patient's adult child has durable power of attorney but is making decisions you believe are not in the patient's best interest. Walk me through your approach.