Listening to the Patient

This week in the Evidence Based Hair Fellowship we reviewed 10 key questions that must be asked when evaluating patients. There are a variety of wonderfully powerful questions that can prompt the hair specialist to think of diagnoses and comorbid medical conditions that otherwise would be missed. A simple “yes” do a question about body hair loss can send the hair loss specialist down a completely different path.

WILLIAM OSLER AND THE POWER OF LISTENING

William Osler was a Canadian physician and one of the 4 founding professors of John Hopkins Hospital . He was not only a physician but an educator, philosopher (and apparently a wonderful practical joker too). He is often honoured with the title as the “Father of Modern Medicine.” Hs teachings and words have influenced the practice and careers of countless physicians around the world.

Sir Osler once provided advice about listening to patients:

Sir Osler’s advice is too often forgotten in era of fancy diagnostic tests. The patient’s story still remains a powerful tool when tough diagnoses need to be made. If I practiced hair loss medicine without the chance to speak to the patient, I’d certainly make a great number of errors in diagnosis. That’s even with all the dermatoscopes I own, the array of tests I have at my disposal, and even with the wonderful dermatoapthologists that I’m so lucky to work with.

The patient’s story is important!