Abstract

QUADRELLI, Silvia; BELLI, Laura F  and  KUSMINSKY, Gustavo. The Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. Rev. amer. med. respiratoria [online]. 2013, vol.13, n.1, pp.35-43. ISSN 1852-236X.

Patient-physician communication is a fundamental aspect of critically ill patients´ care, nevertheless many doctors lack proper training in this area. Communication aspects most valued by patients are those that help them and their families to feel guided, those aimed at building confidence and fueling hope. While these qualities can be considered abstract, they are derived from a specific set of communication skills that can be effectively taught and learned, at least to some extent. These communication skills are not the same skills of the "medical interview", which most professionals learn in medical schools and are focused on knowing a complete medical history as well as other social and family aspects. Communication skills necessary in treating potentially serious diseases are second order skills, focused on difficult situations. A wide variety of empirical studies shows that physician-patient communication is less than optimal. Doctors and nurses fail to capture the full range of concerns affecting people with potentially serious diseases, increasing the suffering of patients and their loved ones. This paper analyzes the ethical issues that arise from this failure in communication.

Keywords : Bioethics; Truth Disclosure; Patient-physician Communication.

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