A simple question can reveal as much as a test

"What are our goals for today?"

Ask your patients about their health priorities at each visit. When you do, both you and your patient can make the most out of the time you have together, and they'll feel more invested in their own care. Not only does that improve efficiencies, but it also helps improve health outcomes.

Select here for PDF file (460 KB, PDF help).

A man is sitting on an examination table in a medical office. His face is showing, but his body is composed of different medical test results, including x-rays, a heart rate printout, and an ultrasound image. The message the image conveys is that while doctors can learn a lot about a patient's health from test results, they can also learn a lot by asking the patient questions.

For tools and tips to share with your patients, visit www.ahrq.gov/questions

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 540 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850 Telephone: (301) 427-1364