TITLE:
Clinical Communication, Cancer Patients & Considerations to Minimize the Challenges
AUTHORS:
Irtiza Hasan, Tasnuva Rashid
KEYWORDS:
Physician-Patient Communication, Communication with Cancer Patients, Communication Challenges, Patient-Centered Communication
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cancer Therapy,
Vol.7 No.2,
February
22,
2016
ABSTRACT: Clinical communication is a multidimensional concept, which encompasses
the core of effective clinical practice. Communication in cancer patients is
particularly challenging and yet a less focused area in cancer care. Various
barriers and challenges in communication may affect the management protocol of
cancer patients. Challenges may arise in various dimensions of cancer care
including breaking bad news to delivery of complex clinical information,
determination of appropriate treatment strategies, dealing with uncertainties,
end of life counseling as well as cultural and language barriers affecting the
whole communication dynamics. Effective communication is the basic foundation
for responsive treatment decisions, positive health outcome, patient driven
compliance and overall high quality of care. Thus, there is a need for
acknowledging and actively deciphering the challenges and developing and
promoting various protocols of effective communication skills in cancer
patients.