The role of interviewing in endocrine practice

Area of Science:

• Clinical Medicine
• Endocrinology
• Patient Communication

Background:

• Interviewing is a fundamental yet undervalued clinical skill for understanding patient experience and medical history.
• In endocrinology, interviewing facilitates diagnosis, prognosis, treatment discussions, and builds therapeutic relationships vital for shared decision-making and self-management.
• Current healthcare trends, prioritizing technology and cost-effectiveness, often neglect the value of patient-clinician interaction, despite its potential to reduce further testing and referrals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the optimal application of patient interviewing within the field of clinical endocrinology.

Main Methods:

• The paper describes fundamental principles of clinical interviewing.
• Focus is placed on the application of these principles in endocrinology for diagnosis and history taking.
• Key areas covered include patient attitudes, lifestyle, symptom experience, quality of life, allostatic load, and psychological distress.

Main Results:

• Interviewing allows for a comprehensive assessment of a patient's psychosocial environment, often missed in standard clinical formulations.
• The technique can illuminate unexplained abnormal hormone values by providing context on the patient's life and experiences.
• It aids in understanding patient coping mechanisms, illness behavior, and residual symptoms throughout disease progression.

Conclusions:

• Patient interviewing offers a holistic characterization of the individual's psychosocial context, essential for comprehensive care in endocrinology.
• This method provides critical insights for interpreting complex endocrine cases and addressing patient challenges.
• Effective interviewing enhances the understanding of patient experiences, leading to more personalized and effective management strategies.