Should I ask the patient’s spouse what they want to see changed?
On a major case, yes, and make sure the spouse or financial partner is actually in the room. If this is a big case at the diagnostic visit, the person who shares the money and the bed should be there. Then you get a second motivation source for free. I ask the spouse the same thing I ask the patient: what would you like to see different in your partner? You would be surprised what comes out. The spouse often names something the patient was too proud or too shy to admit, and now you have two people invested in the outcome instead of one. It also kills the classic stall, I need to go home and talk to my spouse, before it ever happens. Decisions on big money get made by the household, so include the household from the start.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.