Doctors Delivering Bad News Seen as Lacking Compassion
Published at
iStock/Thinkstock(HOUSTON) — A sign that reads “Don’t shoot the messenger” should be hung on the wall of your doctor’s office along with his or her diplomas.
After all, delivering a particularly upsetting diagnosis shouldn’t be blamed on your physician although some patients seem to think otherwise.
In a study from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr. Eduardo Bruera says that the bearer of bad news, in this case a doctor, is often viewed as less compassionate than one who has a more positive diagnosis.
Bruera had 100 cancer patients view a video in which a doctor told someone that he had run out of options to treat the disease and another in which some treatment options were available. Overall, the doctor with the better news was viewed as more compassionate than the other doctor.
Meanwhile, 57 patients said they’d personally rather hear their doctor present more optimistic news compared to 22 patients who felt it was better to get the worst case scenario.
Bruera said his findings might explain why physicians tend to be hesitant about delivering bad news even when they try to do so in an empathic way.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.