The doctor–patient tango: How I avoid a misstep before the consult turns frosty
Dr John Launer recently shared his favourite question to throw in mid-consultation: “How is this conversation going for you so far?”
It helps him figure out if he’s on the right track or has missed something important that the patient tried to say.
I have always quite liked these ‘meta questions’, designed to gauge the patient’s comfort level, satisfaction, and whether they’re secretly wishing they’d stuck with Dr Google.
Dr Launer, a GP in the UK, describes it as stepping back to “take the temperature of the consultation”, which is apt because we all experience that occasion when the vibe of the room slips from cold to frosty.
