History-taking revisited: Simple techniques to foster patient collaboration, improve data attainment, and establish trust with the patient

The relevance and importance of the medical interview has been challenged with improved imaging technologies, web-based medicine, and use of artificial intelligence. The medical interview has three goals: 1. Acquiring accurate medical data about the patient and the etiology of symptoms and signs, ; 2. learning about the patient’s personality, culture, and beliefs, and 3. creating and building trust with the patient. . Reduced human resources in the medical system and increased crowding in the interview setting, such as the emergency room and outpatient clinics, have strengthened the need for high quality and efficient interviews that fulfils the three goals of the interview. This manuscript proposes a structured six methods that contribute to the quality and efficiency of the medical interview with special focus on learning about the patients’ life and creating trust with him.