Preventive Medicine: Giving Patients the Hard Sell

Clipping

Although health plans and government agencies are often quick to remind us of our preventive failures, many physicians shy away from prevention, viewing it as a can of worms they simply don't have time to open. The uncertainties of preventive care coding and reimbursement can also complicate matters. (See "Getting paid for prevention," below.) One tactic that can help in these situations is to enter the exam room or hospital room with at least one preventive goal in mind and be prepared to "sell" it, using a few well-applied strategies: