Aaron Hartman, MD explains why detailed intake forms matter in functional medicine. Committed patients fill them out thoroughly and honestly, but doctors still need to ask follow-up questions. The intake review is essential for understanding someone's full health picture.
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The beauty is that we have a really thorough intake form, and a lot of these questions are asked. And if patients are willing to fill it out, they do. And sometimes you got to pull teeth. But most are willing because when they're making the commitment to come see us, whether it be financial or time wise, or just taking that leap of trying functional medicine, not knowing what they're going to get or expect, I feel like most of them are pretty transparent and open, but clearly some are still holding their cards a little close to their chest. And in these intakes, I review that section as importantly as I review their medical history, as importantly as I review their symptoms and their allergies and their medications. I think all of it's good. I think all of it's helpful, and all of it tells me more about the global nature of that individual.