Basic principles of communication doctors with the family of cancer patient

Abstract

Annotation. Cancer accompanied by significant impairment of the patient's physical and mental health, which necessitates the involvement of additional resources to help the patient. The most powerful is the psychosocial support provided by the patient’s family. The communication of the doctor with the patient's family should be carried out in accordance with the legal acts, should take into account the practical needs for family involvement in the treatment process and address the specific problems of the patient during therapy, and should be carried out according with the basic principles of effective communication. In cancer practice, typical communication problems are the difference in the awareness of relatives and the patient about the diagnosis, the desire of family members not to disclose the diagnosis to the patient, the imbalance of the activity of the close environment of the patient in the treatment. Interaction with the family of the cancer patient is an important component in ensuring the effectiveness and complexity of care for the patient, and requires a high level of communicative competence from healthcare professionals.