1. An integral activity in any healthcare provider–patient encounter involves the physical examination, checkup, or assessment. This exercise will examine what may be learned about the organizational examination, checkup, or assessment from this routine clinical practice.

For questions 1a through 1e, you may choose to record your responses on the Assessment Worksheet below or one similar to it.

a. Describe the purpose of an annual physical examination. You may answer from a provider or patient point of view. You may discuss a physical examination, a well-child checkup, or even a dental appointment.

b. Describe the general sequence of events that occur during this examination.

c. How do you (if you answered as a provider) or the provider (if you answered as a patient) know what to do to complete the examination?

d. Describe why the examination is done in this particular way.

e. Answer the same questions for an organization, and fill in the “Organizational Checkup” column in the worksheet below.

f. On the basis of your responses to the above questions, describe why managers should or should not perform organizational checkups on a routine basis.

Assessment Worksheet Physical Organizational Checkup Checkup Purpose Sequence of events How do you know what to do?
Why is it done this way?