UPFRONT | Columnist ASKED AND ANSWERED New Patient Intake Forms What are the essential elements of a well-composed intake form? BY DAWN ARMSTRONG T he intake form you use with all of your new patients is more than just the first piece of paper that your patient touches. It gives you an op-portunity to make a great first impres-sion for both your profession and your professionalism. The intake form be-comes the foundation of their clinical record, and by extension, the care you deliver. While the space for administrative details (patient ID, contact information, office and privacy policies) are required legally, their presence sets a tone of re-spect for the patient’s right to full disclo-sure. The new patient intake form could be characterized as one of the history twins, because as well as the information you gather about their history during the patient interview, the new patient form will facilitate documentation of subjec-tive facts about the patient’s health history (i.e. their chief complaint, past problems, family issues, current care and lifestyle habits) in their own words. You are asking your new patient to document a lot of information.There are no hard and fast rules on how many pages long it should be, but the new patient intake forms must be compre-hensive enough to let you identify red flags. If there are any reasons why you need to proceed with caution in a par-ticular case, an effective intake form should bring them to your attention. Essentially, your intake form should have the following three features: with a professional appearance – the disorders that you want the patient to font and type size are easy on the eyes know you treat. These would be the and the layout is spacious. As our pop-same conditions that you would like to ulation ages, more and more people see more of – plantar fasciitis, constipa-appreciate the readability of documents. tion or depression are all conditions that The best new patient intake forms can benefit from our care, but most new patients do not know this. The make use of different modali-“A well-de-new patient form is a great tool ties (explain with words, check off boxes on a list, make draw-signed form for informing the public about ings on a diagram). Using a our scope of practice. strikes a variety of methods to collect When you include a space for balance information from your patient them to indicate who referred between increases the chances of gath-them, you can discover poten-respect for ering enough of the vital de-your patient’s tial networking connections for tails you will need to make time and an inter-professional collabora-good decisions. tion. With the appropriate appreciation All of the questions should question you ca also learn how be relevant and clear. Give of the patient’s they found you, which will re-some thought as to why you need to fully veal the advertising platforms are asking any particular ques-express their that are most effective for pro-situation.” tion and double-check that the moting your practice. way they are presented will “SHOULD YOU TAKE ON THIS minimize ambiguity. A well-designed form strikes a balance PATIENT’S CASE?” between respect for your patient’s time Your intake form should provide an (very few new patients are eager to fill answer to this question. It is critical that out a form that is eight or 10 pages long) you gather enough information at the and an appreciation of the patient’s need first visit to be confident that you will not cause harm. The form should give to fully express their situation. you some insight into the nature of their EDUCATIONAL situation and help you to decide if you You can include features on the intake are optimistic that you can help them. form that will serve to educate both the If the information provided by a new patient and you. patient raises any suspicion of contrain-A customized header – advertising dications to care, you can take appropri-who you are, what you do, how well-ed-ate action to ensure their safety, even if ucated you are and lists any special skills this means declining to take on their or interests you have – is more effective case. than one which just gives your clinic A well-designed new patient intake address and contact numbers. form will improve your consistency and USER-FRIENDLY On the checklists of conditions, along efficiency in spotting both red flags and The form should be well constructed with the red flag ones, you can include opportunities for building your practice. Your new patients will each have their DR. DAWN ARMSTRONG is a graduate of CMCC and has been in practice for over 30 years. She is currently own specific needs, but what they need focused on promoting life-long learning and professional development and has created a continuing education most is to know you “get” them, so give course – Clinical Record Keeping: A Hands-On Approach. Learn more at auroraeducationservices.ca. them a form that facilitates this. June 2018 Canadian Chiropractor 11 www.canadianchiropractor.ca
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor June 2018: Page 11
