Could You Please Rephrase the Question?

During a review of systems, I find it helpful and timesaving to ask the patient if he or she experiences symptoms that are out of the ordinary for the typical person. For example, instead of asking “Do you have fevers, chills, or night sweats?” I ask “Do you have fevers, chills, or night sweats more than the average person?” I find this approach yields more useful responses: they indicate whether the patient perceives the symptom as significant.

——Darin C. Fincher, PA-C