Talking about ‘taboo’ topics strengthens provider-patient relationships, improves outcomes
Extensive research published or presented in the past year highlights the value of clear provider-patient communication about topics that may be uncomfortable to discuss.
These subjects range from AI to advanced care planning, cannabis to costs of care, and survivorship challenges to the impact of cancer and its treatments on sexual health.
Healio provides this overview of how open communication — and mentioning specific topics during appointments — can strengthen the clinician-patient relationship and potentially improve long-term outcomes.
1. Broader accessibility to and use of cannabis and cannabinoids has created formidable challenges for clinicians who treat people with cancer. “It feels taboo to talk about cannabis, and clinicians may be hesitant to do so,” Eric Roeland, MD, FASCO, FAAHPM, told Healio. In this story, learn about new ASCO guidelines designed to help health care professionals address this topic with patients. Read more.
2. Women treated for breast cancer exhibited highly prevalent and distressing sexual health concerns. In this story, learn more about the reasons for this gap in care, and how provider-patient communication about sexual health can be improved. Read more.
3. Individuals with cancer expressed a preference for early and frequent provider-initiated discussions about financial toxicity. However, a majority of survey respondents indicated they had not been asked about financial burden by their care team and had not received help with these issues. Read more.
4. Older adults undergoing cancer treatment exhibited reduced risk for falling if they had discussions about physical activity with their health care provider. However, these conversations occurred less than 60% of the time. Read more.
5. An application-based intervention improved communication about advance care planning between oncologists and patients with advanced cancers. Read more.
6. As the role of AI expands in hematology and oncology, health care providers have a responsibility to explain and clarify the benefits and risks to their patients, according to Gwen L. Nichols, MD, chief medical officer of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “It’s a trust question,” Nichols told Healio. “They want to know whether the computer is actually making the decisions about how they are going to be treated. That’s a worry. They need to be reassured that they have not become part of an algorithm, but rather that they are being looked at as an individual.” Read more.
7. A high percentage of childhood survivors do not undergo guideline-recommended monitoring for late effects. Researchers identified three factors significantly associated with adherence to surveillance guidelines, with one being receipt of and discussion about survivorship care plans. Read more.