This approach conveys a strong message that the patient and family are your focus of attention. How you present yourself at the time of the visit can correct inaccurate expectations and secure a positive experience for the comprehensive assessment and the episode of care.

Gain Patient's Confidence
Many approaches are possible, and nearly every clinician uses a different technique. Always introduce yourself and provide identification. Offering a photo-name badge or providing a business card are techniques that are customary in many other service businesses. Some clinicians bring in the newspaper if it is lying outside the residence; others comment on something of interest in the home or compliment the patient. An introductory gesture should be genuine and positive, acknowledging something about the patient that indicates you are glad to meet the person. Some clinicians convey professional competence early in the visit by obtaining vital signs before proceeding. Obtaining a blood pressure and pulse is a familiar health care activity, and patients may anticipate or expect this as a sign of your ability or skill.