BATHE: An Approach to the Interview Process in the Primary Care Setting

The American health care delivery system is undergoing a rapid and substantive change. Healthcare providers are now expected to depart from their traditional role of healers of the sick to a morecomprehensive one of including maintenance of health as well. Incentives are being put in place toencourage physicians to interdict disease at its early, more curable stage and to detect and treat previouslyunrecognized or underrecognized conditions. Research indicates that there is a great need in thearea of mental heath. In order for primary care practitioners to recognize patients who have mentalhealth problems with some facility, it is recommended that they employ the BATHE technique for developinga psychosocial history. This technique will enable primary care practitioners to succinctlyand efficiently uncover psychosocial problems while at the same time to lend support to patients asthey attempt to come to grips with these issues.