Patient Priority List: How to Build One at the Consultation
Quick facts
- Goal
- Rank the patient's concerns to guide the plan and its stages
- Who decides the order
- The patient ranks; the professional assesses clinical feasibility
- When to do it
- After listening, before proposing procedures
- Benefit
- A leaner plan, less regret, a more objective follow-up
A good share of HOF consultations begin with a disorganized list: "my nose, my chin, this wrinkle, the dark circles, my lips, my cheek." If you try to address everything, the plan grows beyond what is reasonable. If you choose on your own, you may ignore what really matters to the patient. The priority list solves both problems: it hands back to them the order of what bothers them most and gives you a compass for the plan.
What is the priority list?
It is a simple exercise done at the consultation: the patient lists what bothers them, then ranks it from what bothers them most to what bothers them least. You listen, take notes and, in the next step, clinically assess each item.
It serves three purposes: listening better, defining what comes first and documenting what was requested. Related articles: open questions for the consultation, recording concerns in the patient's own words and defining what a good result is.
How do you lead the exercise, step by step?
- Invite them to speak freely. "Tell me what you would change about your face, without worrying about feasibility."
- Write it down in their words. "Tired face," "thin mouth," "chin set back." Do not translate yet.
- Ask for the order. "If you could fix only one thing, what would it be? And the second?"
- Limit the list. Three to five items. The rest goes under "later."
- Ask why. "Why is that the first one?" The answer reveals the real concern.
- Give your reading back. Show your assessment of each item, without promising.
What do you do with each item on the list?
The clinical assessment overrides the list. For each item, you have three possible answers, and you should state them clearly:
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Indicated and a priority | "We can start here" |
| Indicated, but not urgent | "That can wait for a second stage" |
| Not indicated or there is risk | "I don't recommend it, and I'll explain why" |
For the third row, the article how to say no to the patient in HOF helps. If the concern is about something the patient does not see the way you do, see how to say the patient does not need a procedure.
Printable template
The question "what I do not want to change" is valuable: it protects identity traits and reduces the risk of overdoing it.
How do you use the list to define the plan?
The first priority, if indicated, becomes the first stage. The second can go into the same stage or the next, depending on safety and tolerance. The remaining items stay as "review at the follow-up." This ties in with explaining why more than one session is needed and with the one-page plan summary.
How does Harmy fit into the exercise?
Marking few areas usually gives a projection that is truer to the conversation and avoids the impression of a "package." See also comparing intensities in the simulation.
Conversation examples
Checklist
A simple list made together is worth more than a sophisticated plan made alone. The patient feels heard, and you leave the consultation with the right direction.
Frequently asked questions
What is the patient priority list for?
To rank what bothers the patient most and guide the plan in stages. It avoids treating everything at once and gives the patient control of the pace.
How many priorities should I ask for?
Three to five are usually enough. More than that dilutes the focus and suggests a plan too big for a first stage.
What if the patient's priority is not clinically indicated?
Explain honestly what the assessment shows, propose alternatives and record the conversation. The decision on the plan is yours; the prioritization is theirs.
Does the list become part of the patient record?
It is advisable to record it. It is a listening document that shows what was requested and what was agreed. Keep it in line with your professional board's rules and Brazil's LGPD (data protection law).
Harmy images are illustrative simulations generated by AI from the patient's photo to support the conversation between practitioner and patient. They are not a promise of results. Indication, technique, product and volume are solely the decision of the licensed practitioner. This content is for information only and does not replace a clinical assessment.