A really important step in creating a good alliance with your patient is actually taking a good sexual history and talking about sex.
The first step is, ask a good question. Something like, “How’s your sex life?”
What you’re gonna find is, that people are really receptive when their doctor or other medical provider asks them about that part of their lives.
Very often, they’re too shy to start the conversation, so it’s our job to just make it a part of what we do as a matter of routine.
So open the door with a question and be ready to listen and to really identify ways that you can offer strategies to improve their health, whether it’s preventing HIV or STIs or other advice that may be important in maintaining a healthy and happy sex life.
