Understanding Prognosis: For Doctors, a Patient-Centered Approach

Anthony L. Back, M.D., coaches other oncologists about how to discuss prognosis with their patients. Good communication, he says, is part of providing good care: “Talking to patients and their families about prognosis is complicated. But done well, these conversations promote trust, enable patients to plan, and strengthen healthy coping.” Produced by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), this video is one of five in a series that includes a main overview video that you might want to view first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfOHUBGf3A). To see the entire NCI Prognosis Video Series and to find other helpful information that can help patients and their health care teams talk about cancer prognosis, go to http://www.cancer.gov/prognosis. To learn about Dr. Back’s NCI-supported training for oncologists in how to better communicate with their patients about difficult subjects, visit http://depts.washington.edu/oncotalk/.