Clinical review

ABC of palliative care: Communication with patients, families, and other professionals

There is increasing awareness of the need for effective communication in health care, particularly with people who face a frightening diagnosis and an uncertain future for themselves or someone close to them.

Recent research suggests that most patients wish to know their diagnosis and the progress of treatment and disease. This may conflict with health professionals' need to protect their patients and retain an optimistic message even when the outlook is very poor.

Effective communication depends not only on the professionals but also on patients and carers. Language may be ambivalent, leading to genuine misunderstandings, and the needs of patients and carers do not always match. This may lead to health professionals feeling as though they are "pig in the middle" as they try to meet the needs of their patient and those of relatives.

Denial

Dealing with collusion

Difficult questions

Dealing with difficult questions

Major emotional reactions

Costs to professionals of dealing with dying patients and their families

Further reading

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