title: [Effective communication with talkative patients: 10 tips].
abstract: Consultations with talkative patients present a challenge to doctors. It is difficult to gather all the necessary information within the available time, without damaging the doctor-patient relationship. Based on the listed existing literature and doctors' experiences, we present ten tips for gathering information from talkative patients in an effective manner whilst maintaining a good therapeutic alliance. In consultations with talkative patients, it is important to explore the cause of patients' talkativeness and to adapt one's communication approach accordingly.- Familiar communication strategies such as 'summarizing' can still be applied. When taking this route, a more directive communication approach--e.g. by means of a 'closed-ended summary'--can prevent the patient interrupting the doctor or departing from his subject. There are strategies aimed at avoiding a damaging effect to the doctor-patient relationship when applying this approach: don't be overly directive, make the patient co-responsible for efficient time management in the consultation, and make use of empathic interrupting and humour.
authors.affiliation: Universiteit Maastricht, Maastricht.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giroldi
authors.forename: Wemke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Veldhuijzen
authors.forename: Frits
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bareman
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bueving
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van der Weijden
authors.forename: Cees
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Vleuten
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muris
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation