The botched delivery of his grim diagnosis left Naito determined to share one final lesson with future physicians: Be careful how you tell patients they're dying. A 2016 study found that just 5% of cancer patients accurately understood their prognoses well enough to make informed decisions about their care. Back, who has been urging better medical communication for two decades, said there's evidence that skills can be taught -- and that doctors can improve. He said he hopes that future doctors like Hjelvik -- and current colleagues -- will use his experience to shape the way they deliver bad news. It can be a really heartfelt, deep experience to tell someone this, to tell another human being."

Source: CNN June 11, 2019 14:03 UTC