Diagnosing the pain like a pro

Finding someone’s pain is probably one of most difficult activities to do. In today’s self-serve digital era, people are frequently diagnosing their own pain rather than giving a list of symptoms. For example, if a patient goes to the doctor, quite frequently they will think they have diagnosed their pain themselves based on a combination of google search, previous experience, friends/family input etc. However this is a trap sales must avoid.

For example, if you’re anything like me, you will go to your doctor and tell them you have a throat infection for example. Rarely does a good doctor take your word for it and write you a prescription. They start by saying “O.K. can you tell me what your symptoms are (Pain diagnosis). I then proceed to tell him where I am experiencing my pain (My experience). He then goes on to ask me what the result of that pain is. For example, if I said I am unable to swallow, he then may ask if I have a suppressed appetite or if I am coughing a lot or if I am feeling nauseous as a result? (Consequence of my pain). Only then will he come to a conclusion on what my illness is. Rather than being a throat infection (as I originally thought) it may be that I am unable to swallow, which is resulting in my inability to eat which is actually better correlated with swollen glands. A good doctor will use this method. A very good doctor will go one step further.

Rather than jumping straight into diagnosing their patient’s pain, a very good doctor will look up my records and ask how I have been since my last visit and if my last problem was resolved. He will engage in conversation with me to (purposely) build a relationship. What I mean by ‘purposely’ is that he might ask me how my job is going? To which, I might respond, ‘not too well. I am in sales and Q4 is taking a toll on me. I am so stressed out’. This key piece of information may very well be the root cause of my illness. Perhaps the overarching stress of my job is the main contributing factor to me getting swollen glands in the first place. In that case, the doctor could say ‘ok, I have a prescription for your swollen glands, but I will also refer you to a stress coach to manage the stress of your job so you should never have to come back to me with this problem again’. That’s what a very good doctor will do. An excellent doctor, will go even deeper into his diagnosis.

An excellent doctor may even probe that one step further and ask their patient if they plan on staying in their current job if it makes them so sick? (What are their long term goals?). This may trigger a need or desire to look into this suggestion further. Perhaps they are interested in becoming a personal trainer in the future or in my personal experience, perhaps that patient has an upcoming physical exam to qualify for the army. In which case, they will definitely need to resolve their problem with your remedy so their eating habits can go back to normal and be strong enough for their army exam. If they don’t buy their prescription, they will not be better to take part in their exam (real consequence).

My key message is ‘go that one step further and become not only a good doctor, not even a very good doctor, but strive to become an excellent doctor’. You may be surprised that the problem the patient diagnosed themselves, was not only incorrect, but ignited a desire in them to achieve their overarching career goal of becoming a personal trainer.

But why stop at an excellent doctor? I will leave you with one final challenge; can you identify what it means to be the best doctor in the world? The above is a framework for sales to use. Comment on your best pain diagnosis that I may have overlooked so we can all become the best doctors in the world.