John Launer: Ask a good question

Around 20 years ago I had a consultation with a cardiologist that I’ve never forgotten, because of a single question he asked me. I’d never seen him before, and he took my history in a fairly standard way, barely looking up from his notes. But when he’d finished he looked me directly in the eye and asked, “Is there anything else important I need to know about you?” My eyes welled up. Without pausing to think, I said, “Yes, my wife and I have 3 year old twins, and I want to live to see them go to university.”I’ve told this story many times over the years, often when I’m teaching trainees or medical students. It’s a perfect example of how a single good question, asked with real curiosity, can evoke a patient’s trust and transform a humdrum consultation. I’ve no idea if the cardiologist used it with every patient…
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