First consultation
- Build the timeline and relevant background.
- Identify previous care and records to request.
- Capture the main limitation and visit goal.
Resources · Orthopedic visit preparation
Prepare an orthopedic visit.
Turn “my knee hurts” into a useful history: when it started, what has changed, what the patient has tried and what they want to do again.
A practical guide for physicians and practice teams. Orthopedics is one application of Emily’s customizable intake across specialties.
Read online: https://facemed.ai/resources/orthopedic-visit-preparation/
Prepare the story before the examination.
- 01 · Configure
Choose the encounter
Start with one visit type. Agree the questions, follow-ups and note sections with the treating physician.
- 02 · Gather
Let the patient explain
Emily uses the practice’s questions in a video conversation, giving the patient space to describe their concern.
- 03 · Review
Resolve the gaps
The physician checks the draft, confirms the history and decides what to examine or investigate.
Ask for specifics that change the conversation.
Use these prompts to shape your questionnaire. Keep the patient’s words and uncertainties visible; an unanswered question should remain unknown.
01Location and timeline
Ask: “Which side and which part of the joint?” “When did it begin, and was there a particular event?”
Clarify: Separate the first symptom, a later worsening and the reason for booking now. Record approximate dates as approximate.
02Symptoms and patterns
Ask: “What does it feel like?” “When is it better or worse?” “What other changes have you noticed?”
Clarify: Let the patient describe symptoms before adding clinician-selected follow-ups. Keep severity, frequency and the activity involved distinct.
03Function and daily life
Ask: “What can you no longer do comfortably?” “How has this changed walking, stairs, sleep, work or sport?”
Clarify: A concrete comparison is more useful than “limited mobility”: ask what the patient could do before and what they manage now.
04Previous care and relevant history
Ask: “What have you tried, for how long, and with what effect?” “Have you had an injury, procedure or scan for this problem?”
Clarify: Capture treatment names as reported, uncertainty about dates, current medications and allergies. Verify these against available records during clinical review. [1]
05The patient’s goal
Ask: “Which activity matters most to you?” “What would you like the clinician to help you understand?”
Clarify: Preserve the patient’s priority—returning to work, walking the dog or understanding the next step—without turning it into a promised outcome.
Change the emphasis for returning patients.
Follow-up
- Ask what changed since the last review.
- Explore progress and difficulties with the agreed plan.
- Check for new concerns and unanswered questions.
For a returning visit, the team supplies or checks the prior plan. Standalone Emily intake does not retrieve the chart or remember earlier encounters.
Worked example · Knee-pain appointment
Go beyond “it hurts when I walk.”
Imagine a patient who has cut back their usual walks because of knee discomfort. The aim is to make the history specific enough for a productive consultation.
Useful follow-up questions
- Which knee, and where is the discomfort?
- Did the change happen suddenly or gradually?
- How far could you walk before, and when do you stop now?
- What have you tried, and what difference did it make?
- What would you most like to get back to doing?
What the clinician checks
If the patient says “I had a scan,” establish when and where, then check whether the images and radiology report are available.
If they say “physio did not help,” clarify what they tried, for how long and what remained difficult. The examination, interpretation and next steps belong to the clinician.
Give the reviewer a usable starting point.
- Check the essentials. Confirm the patient, affected side, timeline, medication details and inconsistencies before using the history in clinical decisions.
- Check the records. Track requested imaging separately from received imaging. Assign someone to obtain missing records; mentioning an MRI in intake does not make it available. [1]
- Separate report from observation. A patient saying they cannot bend their knee is patient-reported history. Anything visible on video needs clinical interpretation; it does not replace an examination.
- Preserve formal measures. Patient-reported outcome measures capture the patient’s assessment of health and function. [2] Keep your chosen instrument’s wording and scoring rules; do not infer a score from a free-form conversation.
Measure the work that remains.
Choose one visit type and record a baseline before the pilot. Compare similar appointments, including patients who need assistance or do not finish intake.
Completion
Completed before review ÷ patients invited. Record why others could not finish.
History quality
Check required topics, contradictions and clinically relevant corrections—not just note length.
Total team time
Count support, record chasing, draft review and corrections alongside consultation time.
Patient experience
Ask whether they could explain their concern and whether anything important was missed.
Bring your questionnaire to the demo.
Choose an encounter, the follow-ups you care about and your preferred note structure. Review how Emily gathers the history and how your team checks it. Agree chart delivery and any integration separately.