Clinician Confidence About Conversations at the End of Life Is Strengthened Using the Four Habits Approach |
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| Authors: | Cecilia Runkle PhD Elizabeth Wu MA Edward C Wang MD Geoffrey H Gordon MD Richard Frankel PhD |
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| Institution: | 1. Group Health Permanente , Seattle, WA;2. Regional Clinician-Patient Communication Program , The Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Inc. , Pasadena;3. The Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Inc. , Los Angeles;4. Northwest Permanente Medical Group, Inc. , Portland, OR;5. The Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine , Indianapolis |
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| Abstract: | Communicating about cancer is not easy. At a time when patients are asked to make complicated choices about treatment and to be responsible for most of their own care, communication problems are consistently presented as a barrier to satisfactory medical treatment. This article identifies problems in communication and describes interventions the multidisciplinary team can use to improve the exchange of information and feelings among patients, families, and health care providers. The specific focuses are communication at the time of diagnosis and during progressive disease and the challenges and difficulties of communicating about pain, sexual functioning, and financial problems throughout the cancer experience. |
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| Keywords: | Physician–patient communication end-of-life care physician education |
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