Article: Never Say 'Die' - Why So Many Doctors Won’t Break Bad News
CNN has republished the Kaiser Health News (KHN) piece, "Never Say ‘Die’: Why So Many Doctors Won’t Break Bad News."
In the article, Dr. Ron Naito talks about how his doctor wouldn’t confirm the terminal diagnosis, even though as an internist he understood the test results. Since then, Dr. Naito has mentored medical students and spoken publicly about the need for doctors to improve the way they break bad news. "Robust research shows that doctors are notoriously bad at delivering life-altering news, said Dr. Anthony Back, an oncologist and palliative care expert," and a co-founder of VitalTalk, one of several organizations that teach doctors to improve their communication skills.
"Indeed, most doctors consider open communication about death vital, research shows. A 2018 telephone survey of physicians [co-sponsored by The John A. Hartford Foundation] found that nearly all thought end-of-life discussions were important — but fewer than a third said they had been trained to have them."
Photo: Dr. Ron Naito by Michael Hanson for KHN
To go to KHN, click here.
To go to CNN, click here.
To go to the JAHF supported Physicians Survey results, click here.
To go to the Physicians' Views on Advance Care Planning and End-of-Life Care Conversations paper, click here.