Communication with and on Behalf of Patients

Book excerpt: Part of suffering from an illness is the fear of not knowing what might happen. One needs information about the illness, about treatments, and about the outcome. Patients appreciate when their autonomy is respected, and they are given options to choose from. But for them to find the right choice is often like looking in the dark to find a path they never took before. No one is in a better position than their doctor to shed light on the paths and to guide them for the best choice to make. This book describes what a patient needs to know and what the doctor needs to communicate to enable the patient to make choices that are rational, based on medical standards, and can best lead to recovery. Such communication takes time, can be arduous, yet it is a doctor's duty and is essential for a harmonious doctor-patient relationship.