Seeing the patient is important because the consultant can gather information firsthand, demonstrate caring, meet clinical expectations, provide convenient service, form a therapeutic relationship, avoid secrecy, promote accountability, role model and teach, provide case management, and avoid paternalism. Examining patients is important for the same reasons as seeing the patient. Often, examining patients provides new, useful information. If the consultant is not a physician, he or she can still make sure that the patient has been properly examined by the appropriate specialist. After seeing and examining the patient, the consultant often meets with the patient's family.
Family meetings are often useful.
Meetings should be direct and time-limited, and goals should be clearly stated at the beginning. The consultant usually uses the details of the case to frame and analyze the issues. Before writing a report, the consultant talks with the attending physician. After this conversation, the consultant often writes a full report. When the ethics consultant records the consultation in the medical record, the progress note describes the question that the consultant has been asked to address.