Elsevier

Seminars in Oncology

Volume 32, Issue 2, April 2005, Pages 139-144
Seminars in Oncology

Palliative information: Doctor-patient communication

https://doi.org/10.1053/j.seminoncol.2004.11.016Get rights and content

Communication between doctors and patients allows the formation of a solid working relationship based on the recognition of mutual needs and expectations. It facilitates coping by providing the right amount of diagnostic and prognostic information that assists patients and families in making therapeutic choices consistent with their life goals. In order to provide quality care, the oncologist must take an active role in encouraging disclosure of concerns and formulate a treatment plan that addresses psychosocial needs. This accomplishes the dual purpose of knowing the patient and making the patient feel known and connected to his/her professional caregivers.

Section snippets

Communication is a therapeutic tool

Physicians and patients agree that good communication is a sine qua non for a productive relationship. For physicians, commonly stated benefits include increased satisfaction with work, decreased risk of burnout,1 a reduction in the likelihood of litigation,2 greater patient adherence to treatment guidelines, and better outcomes.3 Helping patients make informed decisions is also seen as an indication of clinical competence.4, 5 In oncology and palliative care, it serves to clarify goals and

Conclusion

Communication is a powerful therapeutic tool for cancer clinicians. Verbal and nonverbal communication frames the doctor-patient encounter and allows both participants to establish a climate of mutual trust and respect. Physicians can assist patients and their families to disclose their concerns, anxieties, and fears and ensure their needs are met as much as possible by the medical team. Carefully assessing a patient’s need and preference for information and clarifying the goals of treatment

Acknowledgment

I am indebted to Dr Paula Rauch for sharing her wisdom on communication with families and Dr Elizabeth Lamont for helping shape my views on doctors’ ability to provide accurate prognoses. I also wish to recognize the contribution and influence of Julie Goldman, anthropologist and cancer patient, who taught me to reconceptualize care from the patient’s perspective and to recognize the opportunities for transformation and transcendence at the end of life.

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