Module 2 – Unit 3: Listening Task 
Hearing a Patient’s Story
You will hear two interviews between a physician and a patient. Before you listen, read the situation below.
Situation Mr. Singh is a software engineer who came to see Dr. Wong because he has insomnia. His vital signs show that he is hypertensive. His BP is 184/104, and his resting pulse is higher than expected at 96/min. He seems a bit nervous and keeps looking at his watch.
First Listening
- Which interview is more effective and more patient-centered: Interview A or Interview B?
- What does the physician do to help the patient “tell his story” in the interview that is more patient-centered?
- What kinds of questions in this interview are more effective in terms of understanding Mr. Singh’s situation?
Second Listening
Listen to the interviews again. Why was one interview effective and patient-centered? Why was the other interview weak and less patient-centered? Take notes in the chart below about what the doctor does in each interview.
Effective Interview |
Weak Interview |
asks open-ended questions |
asks only closed questions |
Read the questions from Interview B below. Change them to more effective, patient-centered questions. Write each new question on the line.
Example
You exercise, don’t you? Do you find the time to exercise regularly?
- You know you have high blood pressure, don’t you? ___________________________________________________
- Why are you here today? ____________________________________________________________
- Why can’t you sleep? Have you had any changes in your life recently at work? What about your family life? ____________________________________________________________
- So, you must be under a lot of stress? ____________________________________________________________
- Are there any problems in your family life? ____________________________________________________________