JAMA Clinical Reviews Discussing Surgery With Patients
Apr 16, 2025
Lauren J. Taylor, a surgeon at the Central Virginia VA Healthcare System and author of JAMA's Communicating Medicine series, joins JAMA Senior Editor Anne Cappola for a revealing conversation. They explore three essential communication skills for surgeons, emphasizing trust-building beyond mere informed consent. The discussion addresses how to handle emotions during tough news, the value of scenario planning for informed patient decisions, and the necessity of transparent discourse regarding surgical risks. It's all about empowering patients!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Challenges in Surgeon-Patient Communication
- Surgeons face unique communication challenges due to acute presentations and lack of pre-existing relationships with patients.
- High emotions and fast decision-making settings require surgeons to quickly establish trust and understand patient values.
Attend to Patient Emotions
- Always attend to patients' emotions by giving a heads-up before delivering difficult news.
- Use empathic responses to acknowledge emotions and avoid overwhelming patients with excessive information.
Example of Delivering Difficult News
- When informing a family about a serious condition, start with a heads-up statement about difficult news.
- Follow with a clear headline focusing on the core message, then acknowledge family emotions like frustration or fear.