July 13, 2017 Robert Smith

Interviewing Patients

Interviewing patients is the most essential and most complex skill required of physicians. To enhance interviewing training, our group developed a behaviorally-defined (skills-based) patient-centered interviewing method.  The method addressed two problems in the field. First, because it described, sequenced, and prioritized the specific skills needed to conduct a complete interview from start to end, it permitted consistent teaching of the patient-centered interview. Second, because it could be defined, rigorous experimental research on it was possible. It’s the only interviewing textbook that describes an evidence-based method, randomized controlled trials demonstrating it is effectively and easily learned and associated with improved patient health outcomes.

Textbook:  FORTIN AH VI, DWAMENA FC, FRANKEL RM, LEPISTO BL, SMITH RC: Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing: And Evidence-Based Method, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill, publisher; 2018.  www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI;  Amazon.com

I. DVD/Videotape

Click “View All Videos” on the links below (bottom, right side) to access multimedia

  • SMITH RC: Evidence-Based Interviewing:  (DVD/Tape 1) Patient-Centered Interviewing (February 2001) – Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services, Eric Schultz, Producer – Available from http://www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI; updated 2012 as companion to 3rd edition of Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method, McGraw-Hill, April 2012; updated April 2018.
  • SMITH RC: Evidence-Based Interviewing:  (DVD/Tape 2) Clinician-Centered Interviewing (February 2001) – Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services, Eric Schultz, Producer – Available from http://www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI; updated 2012 as companion to 3rd edition of Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method, McGraw-Hill, April 2012; updated April 2018
  • MANNING B, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Videotape:  New Inpatient Interview—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI
  • MANNING B, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Videotape:  Follow-up Inpatient Interview—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI
  • SHAHAR K, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Videotape:  Acutely Ill Patient—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. http://www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI
  • HASSANEIN M, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Videotape:  Patient With a Mental Health Disorder—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI
  • ILIEV A, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Videotape:  How to Interrupt—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI
  • ILIEV A, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Videotape:  Follow-up Outpatient—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. http://www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI
  • SHAHAR K, LEPISTO B, SMITH R: Using the Electronic Health Record—Produced by Michigan State University Broadcasting Services; Tim Zeko, Producer; Tim Elkins, Director—companion to Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method. Available on McGraw-Hill Access Medicine website, August 2018. http://www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI

II. Teaching Supplement to Interviewing Text

  • FORTIN AH VI, DWAMENA FC, FRANKEL RM, SMITH RC: Teaching Supplement for Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing:  An Evidence-Based Method, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., 2018 www.accessmedicine.com/SmithsPCI

III. General Articles

  • SMITH RC, HOPPE RB: The Patient’s Story–a Patient-Centered Approach to Interviewing. Ann Intern Med 1991; 115;470-477 (PDF)
  • SMITH RC, FORTIN A, DWAMENA FC, FRANKEL R: An Evidence-based Patient-Centered Method Makes the Biopsychosocial Model Scientific, Patient Education and Counseling. 2013; 91:265-270 (PDF)
  • SMITH RC: Making the Biopsychosocial Model More Scientific—Its General and Specific Models. Social Science and Medicine; 272 (2021) 113568. (PDF)
  • Using the term “evidence-based” in the communication literature. Patient Education and Counseling. 2023;110:107684 (PDF)

IV. Research Articles

  • SMITH RC, METTLER J, STOFFELMAYR B, LYLES JS, MARSHALL A, VAN EGEREN L, OSBORN GG, SHEBROE V: Improving Residents’ Confidence in Using Psychosocial Skills. J Gen Intern Med 1995; 10:315-320 (PDF)
  • SMITH RC, LYLES JS, METTLER J, VAN EGEREN L, STOFFELMAYR B, MARSHALL A, OSBORN GG, SHEBROE V: A Strategy for Improving Patient Satisfaction by the Intensive Training of Residents in Psychosocial Medicine: A Controlled Randomized Study. Acad Med 1995; 70:729-732 (PDF)
  • SMITH RC, LYLES JS, METTLER J STOFFELMAYR BE, VAN EGEREN LF, MARSHALL AA. GARDINER JC, MADUSCHKE KM, STANLEY JM, OSBORN GG, SHEBROE V, GREENBAUM RB. The Effectiveness of an Intensive Teaching Experience for Residents in Interviewing: A Randomized Controlled Study. Ann Intern Med 1998; 128:118-126. (PDF)
  • SMITH RC, MARSHALL AA, OSBORN GG, SHEBROE V, LYLES JS, STOFFLMAYR BE, VAN EGEREN LF, METTLER J, MADUSCHKE K, STANLEY J, GARDINER JC: Behaviorally-defined, Research-Based Guidelines for Teaching Patient-Centered Interviewing. Patient Education and Counseling 2000; 39:27-36. (PDF)
  • GRAYSON-SNEED K, DWAMENA FC, SMITH S, LAIRD-FICK H, FREILICH L, SMITH RC:  A Questionnaire Identifying Four Key Components of Patient Satisfaction With Physician Communication, Patient Education and Counseling, 2016; 99:1054-1061. (PDF)

V. Research Coding Methods

  • GRAYSON-SNEED K, SMITH S, SMITH RC:  A Research Coding Method for the Basic Patient-Centered Interview, Patient Education and Counseling, 2016; 100:581-525. (PDF)
  • GRAYSON-SNEED K, SMITH RC, et al.:  A Research Coding Method to Evaluate Clinicians’ Skills in Promoting Smoking Cessation, Patient Education and Counseling, 2018; 101:541-545. (PDF)

VI. Other Papers

  • SMITH RC, MARSHALL  AA, OSBORN GG, SHEBROE V, LYLES JS, STOFFLMAYR BE, VAN EGEREN LF, METTLER J, MADUSCHKE K, STANLEY J, GARDINER JC: Evidence-based Guidelines for Teaching Patient-Centered Interviewing. Patient Education and Counseling 2000; 39:27-36 (PDF)
  • SMITH RC, DWAMENA FC, GROVER M, COFFEY J, FRANKEL RM: Behaviorally-Defined Patient-Centered Communication – A Narrative Review of the Literature. J Gen Intern Med; 2010; 26:285-191. (PDF)
  • HESSON A, SARINOUPOULOS S, FRANKEL R, SMTIH RC: A Linguistic Study of Patient-Centered Interviewing: Emergent Interactional Effects. Patient Education and Counseling 2012; 88; 373-380. (PDF)
  • SARINOPOULOS S, HESSON AM, GORDON C, LEE SA, WANG L, DWAMENA F, SMITH RC: Patient-Centered Interviewing is Associated with Decreased Responses to Painful Stimuli: An Initial fMRI Study. Patient Education and Counseling; 2013: 90: 220-225 (PDF)
  • DWAMENA F, HOLMES-ROVNER M, GAULDEN CM, JORGENSON S, SADIGH G, SIKOPRSKI A, LEWIN S, SMITH RC, COFFEY J, OLOMU A: Interventions for Providers to Promote a Patient-Centred Approach in Clinical Consultations (Review). Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, Issue 12. Art. Number: CD003267. DOI: 10. 1002/14652868.CD003267.pub2, Consumers and Communications Group, Cochrane review ID: 428499091010040363. 2013. (PDF)

VII. Tools

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