Quoting the Patient: Striking the Balance Between Accuracy and Empathy

When drafting a psychological or rehabilitation report, choosing when and how to quote the patient is more than a stylistic decision — it’s a matter of clinical judgment, legal responsibility, and professional tone.

At RapidClarity, I’ve reviewed and edited thousands of reports over the years. And while quoting the patient can preserve the integrity of the assessment process, it must be done thoughtfully to avoid unintentional harm.

Why quote at all?

Direct quotations serve a few important purposes:

Preserving legal accuracy: In medico-legal and insurance settings, exact wording matters. A quote can demonstrate what the patient actually said, which may carry different implications than a paraphrase. Capturing tone or nuance: Sometimes the patient’s own phrasing reveals psychological meaning—hopefulness, despair, anger, confusion—in a way that paraphrasing would dilute. Clarifying contradictions: A quote can be especially useful when the patient says something contradictory, unusual, or significant in its framing.

But what about “shame quotes”?

There’s a fine line between quoting for clarity and using quotation marks in a way that inadvertently stigmatizes the patient. Consider the difference between:

She stated, “I cry every night and sometimes think about ending it all.”

and

She “cries every night” and “thinks about ending it all.”

The second version feels colder—distancing, even dismissive. This style of quoting (often seen in journalism as “scare quotes”) can make it seem like the writer doubts or devalues the speaker’s experience.

In a clinical or assessment context, this kind of tone can come across as unkind or biased. The reader (and potentially a court or insurer) may infer that the assessor is skeptical, or worse, mocking.

How I handle it

In my reports, I rely almost exclusively on full, direct quotations. This avoids the risk of misinterpretation while preserving the speaker’s original voice. But I also make careful choices about:

What to quote: Not every word needs to appear in quotation marks. I choose quotes that are emotionally or diagnostically relevant. How to frame the quote: “She explained,” “He stated,” and “They noted” are neutral verbs. I avoid loaded phrasing like “admitted,” “claimed,” or “confessed,” which can subtly undermine credibility. When to paraphrase: Occasionally, a paraphrase is more appropriate—for instance, when a client rambles or uses disorganized speech. But even then, I ensure the tone remains respectful and accurate.

Final thoughts

Quoting the patient is an art, not a formula. It requires balancing fidelity to the interview with compassion for the person behind the story. A seasoned editor or report writer can ensure your language stays both professional and humane.

Have a report in progress or a template that could use refinement? I’m always happy to collaborate.

Let’s bring clarity to your reports—one word at a time.