Strategies for Communicating Bad News to Patients

Guest: Alan Astrow, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD

Breaking difficult news to patients is something that, as doctors, we have to do. Are there approaches that make it easier and clearer for the patient? In this segment, Dr. Alan Astrow, director of the division of hematology and medical oncology at Maimonides Cancer Center in New York City, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss specific case examples of how to break difficult and often complicated news to patients. Dr. Astrow has a special interest in the treatment of breast cancer, gynecological cancers and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. He has conducted research on how to help physicians understand a patient's wishes, values and needs as well as how to improve communication between doctor and patient.