Podcast #41 - How to Avoid the Dial Tone on Your Consults and Recent Updates

We have all been there before.  The consult that just does not go to plan.  Most of us first experience it as students and it can drive us mad.  Recently, while at the Podcasting Course in Lexington, Kentucky a fun and brief podcast was made covering the subject.  This was a group project and hopefully this will remind us to cover more content on "soft skills" such as consults and daily interactions.  Mainly, the things not covered in any sort of medical texts at least on a regular basis.

In this brief, introductory discussion of how to give a good consult, there are five main skills.

1. Lead with the End - Say what you need from the beginning
2. Use a Script - Use the same general format and follow it
3. Be Prepared - Have everything you need in front of you
4. Give a Plan - Be clear on what you want to do and how the consultant fits in this picture
5. Have a Clear Question - Concisely ask what you are needing from them

Now you may be asking yourself what all that means, and honestly the best place to understand is to listen to the very brief podcast.  But don't just take our word on this.  There are plenty of references both in literature and the #FOAMed world covering this subject.  Consider for example this interesting piece made available by ALIEM.  There is also the CONSULT mnemonic that was even used for the basis of this podcast.  In 2012, the Journal of Emergency Medicine also published a paper on how to improve consults using such methods as the Five Cs Consultation Model.  For those of you that are RCT lovers, there is even a randomized controlled trial on clinical consults incorporating the Five Cs Consultation Model (Contact, Communicate, Core Question, Collaboration, and Closing the Loop).

Want your Five Cs in #FOAMed form?  Then here is one from CanadiEM that covers how to stop making bad consults.  REBEL EM had a very similar post on the same.  Finally, returning to ALIEM they have another unique twist on the consult problem with "expert" feedback.  In all, the point is clear: have an approach and keep it standard.

As mentioned, there are a lot of updates.  Lexington was great and so was Phoenix.  Both new and old listeners were met and there was a lot of positive feedback.  That is not enough though and we need everyone's feedback.  There will be some changes coming up to improve all aspects especially the actual audio.  Please let us know what you think.  Most importantly though is please share.  We need everyone to share this content with all colleagues.  The more you share on places like Twitter and Facebook along with giving us a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, the better.

Let us know what you think about the podcast in general by giving us feedback here in the comments section or contacting us on Twitter or Facebook.  Remember to look us up on Libsyn and on Apple Podcasts (formerly called iTunes Podcasts).  If you have any questions you can also comment below, email at thetotalem@gmail.com, or send a message from the page.  We hope to talk to everyone again soon.  ​Until next time, continue to provide total care everywhere.

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