listen with your heart …

… cor ad cor loquitur … listen with your heart … pdf file outlines fundamental approach to communicating serious news …  slides

• Start with the patient’s agenda
• Track both the emotional and cognitive
• Stay with the patient and move the conversation forward one step at a time
• Articulate empathy explicitly
• Talk about what you can do before you talk about what you can’t do
• Start with big picture goals before specific medical interventions
• Spend at least a moment giving the patient your complete undivided attention

 

(modified from Back et. al. Mastering Communication …)