title: Enhancing clinical decisions about care through a pre-consultation sheet that captures patients' views on their health conditions and treatments: A qualitative study in the field of chronic pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether and how a pre-consultation sheet (PCS) that captures patients' views on their condition and treatments can facilitate doctors in identifying targets for medical advice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PCS in the form of a list of questions was developed and implemented in chronic pain consultations. Its value was examined through video-recordings and post-consultation interviews with doctors and patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Doctors reported that the PCS helped them identify topics that required further discussion with patients, unexpected information, patients' expectations on outcomes, and their attitudes and beliefs about treatments. Patients reported that the PCS helped them collect and structure their views, reduced their anxiety regarding the encounter, and created a setting in which they felt heard.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PCS captures patients' views that are valuable in helping doctors identify targets of intervention. It focuses on aspects that matter to patients and that enrich information sharing beyond medical records.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addressing patients' views on health conditions and treatments facilitates doctors and patients in defining targets for intervention. It assists doctors in tailoring their advice and helps patients present their case. A PCS seems to be a feasible and acceptable instrument to support doctors and patients in this information sharing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne and Swiss Paraplegic Research, Lucerne, Nottwil, Switzerland; Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland. Electronic address: claudia.zanini@paraplegie.ch.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zanini
authors.affiliation: Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Cantonal Hospital Corporation (Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, EOC), Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maino
authors.affiliation: Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Cantonal Hospital Corporation (Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, EOC), Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jens Carsten
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Cantonal Hospital Corporation (Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, EOC), Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.affiliation: Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Cantonal Hospital Corporation (Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, EOC), Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne and Swiss Paraplegic Research, Lucerne, Nottwil, Switzerland; Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubinelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013557:Switzerland; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Advice tailoring; Chronic pain; Decisions about care; Doctor–patient communication; Medical advice; Patients’ beliefs; Patients’ illness representations; Pre-consultation sheet; Targets of intervention