In my thirty years of practice, I have time and again recognized the immense value of listening attentively and at length to my patients and their relatives. Unfortunately, during our training days, more emphasis was placed on clinical examination and diagnostic formulation than on a meticulous history taking. When I set up an independent practice, I quickly learned what a huge difference it could make if the patient is allowed to tell her own story.
We often get impatient when a patient strays from our points of interest and get tempted to consider it a wastage of time to listen to at length. But in reality, a detailed history can actually save time by helping us arrive at a better diagnosis and consequently writing a better prescription which can reduce follow up visits and unnecessary investigations. If a patient or her family members stray(s) a lot, we can always guide them to come…
