BLUF

BLUF has been used in one program to help to quickly assess the most pressing problem facing a patient.

The BLUF method is most useful as part of the Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches in primary care to get the physician understand everything he/she needs to know that may be beneficial for the patient. More to the point, communicating the results in a format that subjects can easily understand is paramount. In a medical team setting, each member values speed and brevity. Simon and Folen suggest using the bottom line up front (BLUF) format – the recommendation first, followed by the backup reasoning or rationale in clear and straightforward terms. A parallel process should be used with the patients. Building on earlier works, Conoley, Padula, Payton, and Daniels, using archived footage of sessions, found that a patient was most likely to implement a recommended treatment if the following three conditions were matched: the recommendation needed to match the problem, should not be too difficult to follow [emphasis added], and should build on a patient's strengths. Clearly, patients being counseled tend to follow a treatment plan if, among other things, the recommendation is explained first and followed up with the justification, which are typical features of a BLUF. Expectations with the patients in carrying out a tailored therapy are likely when the benefits are explicitly stated immediately.