P R E V E N T I V E
M E D I C I N E
Telling your
health story:
New narrative
approaches to medicine
By Margaret Littman
hen your physician
asks what's new these
days, he or she may
be looking for a lot
more than a list of
aches and pains.
Many medical schools and hospitals
are now relying on the Calgary-Cambridge method, a system of communication designed for a well-rounded
look at your health and concerns.
"The philosophy is that we let
the patient tell the story," explains
Dr. Marygrace Elson, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology
and vice chair of education at the
University of Iowa's Carver College
of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa.
"[In the past] we were trained to ask
about a chief complaint and then
focus on that one concern. But the
SHUTTERSTOCK
W
Cambridge method allows the patient
to bring up more than one concern."
LISTENING AND LEARNING
Calgary-Cambridge method-inspired
programs for physicians cover everything from asking open-ended questions to learning to break bad news
with grace, according to Dr. Elson,
who is also affiliated with University
of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa
City, Iowa. Physicians learn to work
within tight time frames but also
give patients a meaningful interaction
and allow them to feel like they are
being heard.
Of course, listening doesn't mean
letting a patient ramble indefinitely.
When a patient's focus starts to
wander, trained physicians can help
summarize main points and get the
discussion back on track. That way,
appointment time can best be used to
address key concerns and develop an
appropriate treatment plan.
(continued on page 16)
"The Cambridge
method allows the
patient to bring
up more than one
concern [at an
appointment]."
~ Dr. Marygrace Elson, University
of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
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