Table 1.

Common Patient Interaction Challenges

Patient Interaction Challenge Categories
A.	Identifying patient concerns/agenda
B.	Managing patients with multiple concerns
C.	Responding to patients who are angry/frustrated
D.	Responding to patients who become emotional during the encounter e.g. sadness
E.	Efficient time management
F.	Adjusting to different levels of health literacy
G.	Addressing worker compensation issues
H.	Managing pain medication requests for chronic pain complaints
I.	Patients who are convinced a surgery is their best option when in reality it is not
J.	Patients with multiple medical comorbidities that are not appropriate surgical candidates
K.	Patient whose health behaviors (smoking, diet, etc.) impact their health and surgical eligibility
L.	Patient disappointment with surgical outcomes
M.	Patients with unrealistic expectations for surgical outcomes