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Table 2 Regulations on good clinical practice in the general approach of the patient with medical unexplained symptoms

From: Effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral intervention in patients with medically unexplained symptoms: cluster randomized trial

1.  To plan regular appointments every 4–6 weeks in order to treat them clinically during the first year / 6 months, or if a new symptom comes up (in worsening periods, appointments could be more frequent).

2.  To give the patient a detailed document on the origin of the symptoms

3.  To establish high-priority objectives

4.  To restrict complementary examinations to the most indispensable ones

5.  To control the visits to specialists

6.  To have the patient treated by only one doctor

7.  To calm down and to reassure

8.  To identify the psychosocial stimuli that are involved as well as their link to the worsening of the symptomatology

9.  To avoid ambiguous information about the findings that come up

10.  To avoid spurious diagnostics

11.  Not to treat what the patients do not suffer from

12.  To avoid dichotomy explanations, i.e. (mental-physical nature)

13.  To mediate, when possible, in their psychosocial problems

14.  The best policy is to be sincere on the reports

15.  To approach some problems in a multidisciplinary way

16.  To organize the management/treatment of the difficult cases

17.  To be consistent with the approaches

18.  To properly remit to the psychiatry services