Patient Interview

Question 1

Patient Interview

What is a Patient Interview?

Answer 1

• Subjective examination
• Purposeful communication to clarify a patient’s problems and assist in your differential diagnosis
• 80% of the information you need to clarify the cause of symptoms will be obtained during the patient interview
• Assists in differential diagnosis

Question 2

Patient Interview

“Who?” information?

The Information Obtained in a Patient Interview

Answer 2

Demographics: Age, sex, race/ethnicity (Race and ethnicity are not the same thing.Race = biology; clues as to disease risks and prevalence; Ethnicity = identity; cultural values and preferences), primary language spoken, level of education.

• Review it, even if it is on the intake form (Confirming age, DOB, etc may give you a clue about their cognitive status)

Information about the patient’s history:
* Mechanism of injury - How and when the symptoms started
* Past medical history
* Surgery - Related and seemingly unrelated
* Medications - Some meds mimic MSK problems, so know your side effects (Statins and myalgia)
* Remember to ask, “Have you ever had physical therapy before?”

Information about the patient’s life and living environment:
* Hobbies, goals
* Home and work environment
* Home environment & Layout - Live alone or with someone else, stairs inside and outside the home
* Stress - Major life changes
* Sleep-related history
* Activities & Participation
*

Information about their current condition:
* Health status - SYSTEMS REVIEW!
* Cardiovascular/pulmonary - Pulse rate, blood pressure, respiration rate
* Integumentary screen
* Musculoskeletal - Gait, gross ROM/strength
* Neuromuscular - Co-ordination

Question 3

Patient Interview

“What?” information?

Answer 3

Current chief complaint:

“Symptom” > “pain”
Symptom Severity
Obtain information for symptoms at best, worst and average/current
Red flag = pain intensity that does not change
Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
“If you could rate your pain 0 to 10, 0 being no pain, and 10 being emergency room pain, what number would you give it?”
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
10 cm line, with the left anchor as “none” and the right anchor as “worst imaginable”
Verbal Rating Scale (VRS)
List descriptors like “none, mild, moderate or severe”

SINSS:
* Severity
* Irritability
* Nature
* Stage
* Stability

Labs or diagnostics: PT can be part of the diagnostic process.

Question 4

Patient Interview

Question 5

Patient Interview

Question 6

Patient Interview

Question 7

Patient Interview

Question 8

Patient Interview

Question 9

Patient Interview

Question 10

Patient Interview

Question 11

Patient Interview

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Patient Interview

Question 13

Patient Interview

Question 14

Patient Interview

Question 15

Patient Interview

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Patient Interview

Question 17

Patient Interview

Question 18

Patient Interview

Question 19

Patient Interview

Question 20

Patient Interview