Graphing health status can help pinpoint patient problems.
Diagnosing the cause of a patient's complaints by reviewing physical symptoms alone may overlook indicators of psychological and emotional problems that need to be considered. A health status assessment (see "Health Status Assessment--A Vital Sign for Planning Patient Therapy," pages 2-9) using the Health Status Questionnaire enables a clinician to rapidly sort through the bases of presenting symptoms in physical and psychological terms. After a patient fills out the form, the data are input into a computer, which translates the results into a graph. The physician and patient then use the graph to review the results and develop a plan of therapy. The scenario below demonstrates use of the graph by Northfield, Minn., family practitioner Donald Lum, M.D., along with a standardized, scripted interpretation-and-questions process developed by Atlanta practitioner Dwana Bush, M.D., and Dr. Lum to plan patient therapy.
Lum
D
D
Living Lab Inc., USA. dlum@mr.net
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires