[Value of the health questionnaire in family medicine and hospital consultation].

Questionnaires calling for answers of yes or no were tested in the field of family medicine (125 questions) and in a hospital outpatient clinic (164 questions). In the hospital, results were not given to physicians before evaluation of the patient. In family medicine, 3 328 positive answers were given by 200 patients (average 17), against 3 439 and 115 (average 30) respectively in the hospital. As compared with questionnaires, conventional case-reports missed two out of three symptoms or antecedents, many of which were important. Examples are given. Such omissions were more frequent in males, and in some, specialties. They were not less frequent in common diseases. Unexpectedly, omissions were all the more numerous that patients already had more diagnoses. Filling the questionnaire took an average of 3.5 seconds per question. The opinion of patients was usually favorable. The duration of consultations was slightly increased when using the questionnaires. Questionnaires were useful: to patients, by reducing risks of omissions, fatigue of physicians and disparities between physicians; to physicians, by reducing risks of lawsuits. Economic results are complex. Acceptability is discussed. The initial reluctance of physicians can be overcome. From this experience, the number of questions can be brought down to 89.