The Holistic Medical Interview Approach (KAHMIA), developed by Dr. Anna Malwina Kamelska-Sadowska, is an integrated framework for clinical interviewing that expands the traditional biomedical model by incorporating psychological, social, lifestyle and environmental determinants of health. Rooted in extensive clinical experience and numerous case studies, the method addresses diagnostic gaps commonly encountered in patients with chronic, multifactorial or medically unexplained symptoms.
KAHMIA aims to support clinicians in understanding not only the disease, but the person experiencing it. The interview is structured around three core components: present complaints, including symptom characteristics and functional impact; medical history, covering all past conditions correlated with present complaints, medications, lifestyle; and psychosocial and environmental context, encompassing lifestyle, stress, relationships, and genetic factors, phychosomatic disorders. These components are operationalized into six flexible modules integrating narrative medicine, open-ended questioning and active listening.
Application of the KAHMIA method improves diagnostic accuracy, reveals risk factors often missed in conventional interviews, and strengthens the therapeutic alliance. By integrating biological, emotional and contextual data, the method facilitates early identification of complex etiologies and supports individualized therapeutic planning. KAHMIA is particularly valuable in cases of multimorbidity, chronic pain, psychosomatic presentations and lifestyle-related disorders.