Case study of one practitioner (Kwan)
TCM
Kwan was one of the four TCM practitioners in the experimental group. Kwan uttered 13, 42 and 23 turnsQuestions as a percentage of turns – KwanAs shown in Fig. Distribution of Y/N-Q questions and Wh-Q questions – KwanAs shown in Fig. Distribution of the major types of questions – KwanThe purpose of asking questions in a consultation is usually to acquire new information or clarify previously acquired information. According to the data on Kwan’s consultations presented above, we can predict that he achieved these goals in the post-test and delayed post-test consultations. Furthermore, as general and psychosocial questions are closely related to patients’ daily life information or medical history rather than their present physical state, we can surmise that Kwan was more active in collecting the patient’s daily life and medical information in the post-test and delayed post-test consultation than in the pre-test consultation. Integrating the three main types of question might also help practitioners to build a better rapport with their patients. Based on the distribution of question types in Kwan’s three consultations, he requested more kinds of information in the post-test and delayed post-test consultations, which implies a greater degree of holistic care through a more explicit concern with the psychosocial, lifestyle and experiential aspects of the patient.As shown in Fig. Types of move functions – Kwan